GOLF/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House is being spruced up while President Donald Trump spends a working vacation in New Jersey this week. Officials said on Tuesday [8-7-18] that marble would be repaired and re-grouted, ceilings would be repainted and paving stones leveled while Trump remains ensconced in his private golf club. The renovations include new bathrooms in the West Wing where the facilities haven’t been updated in four decades. The wood-paneled elevator is also being updated, along with plumbing in the Navy Mess, the White House’s cafeteria. Long averse to being seen as vacationing, Trump has insisted his stay in New Jersey is mostly work. He played golf with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, over the weekend and will meet with corporate chiefs on Tuesday evening. Last year, Trump’s extended stay at his Bedminster golf resort also coincided with major renovations at the White House, including upgrades to the West Wing lobby and structural work in the executive mansion…Much of the work was directed by the President himself. The real estate mogul, who is known for his attention to detail on construction projects, was personally involved with the renovation, including the selection of new wallpaper for his Oval Office.”
–Kevin Liptak, “White House details renovations taking place while Trump is in Bedminster,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, August 7, 2018 3:52 pm