Welcome listeners to a special holiday 2025 episode of Know Your Enemy. I'm Sam Adler-Bell, one of your

podcast co-hosts, and I'm not at this exact moment joined by my dear friend Matthew Sitman,

but have patience. He'll be here very soon. What you're about to hear is an episode we released

for paid subscribers on November 17th, a conversation about Trump's White House

Ballroom Renovation Project and the Politics of Architecture, featuring the great

Kate Wagner, who is genuinely one of my favorite writers and critics and the proprietor of

the McMansion Hell blog. This episode was without question our most beloved Patreon episode of the year. Many of our

paid subscribers requested that we put it out in front of the paywall, and as a Christmas

treat, we're releasing it for you, the freeloaders. But a couple of quick notes before we get

to the interview. Since we recorded this episode, the architect Trump initially hired to oversee the project

James McCreary, who you'll hear about a bit when we get to the interview with Kate, was replaced by

another architect, a developer-friendly DC firm with a bit more experience doing projects of this size.

But the ballroom and the demolition of the East Wing continue apace. Indeed, a few weeks

ago, Trump said during a cabinet meeting that the pile drivers operate, quote, all night,

and that they've created a rift in his marriage. The president said he loves the sound,

while First Lady Melania Trump has asked him to make the constant pounding

stop. Trump, according to the Washington Post, says he replied, sorry darling, that's progress.

Enjoy and Merry Christmas. All right, welcome listeners to this very special bonus episode of Know Your Enemy.

I'm Matt Sitman, your podcast co-host, and I'm here as always

with my great friend Sam Heather Bell, and a writer I'm so excited to talk to Kate Wagner. Welcome.

Thank you. This is going to be so much fun. I really have so many questions for you. I've admired

your work for a long time, and we're so glad you're here with us. Thank you so much. I've admired your work as well. Big Pan of the Pod.

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