Director Emmerich 'Almost Cried' Over White House Demolition

Hollywood director Roland Emmerich has sharply criticized the demolition of the White House East Wing, ordered by former U.S. President Donald Trump, to make way for a new ballroom. Emmerich, who has famously depicted the destruction of the White House multiple times in his blockbuster films, expressed deep dismay at the decision.

"Seeing the pictures, I almost had to cry," Emmerich told the "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung." The 70-year-old filmmaker described the demolition as a "true catastrophe," lamenting the loss of the historic East Wing. He also questioned the scale of the new construction, calling the planned ballroom "gigantic."

Emmerich speculated that the decision was less about political signaling and more about personal preference. He suggested that First Lady Melania Trump should have intervened, stating, "Melania should have said no." He noted that the East Wing had served as the First Lady's domain, housing her offices and even a small cinema.

When asked about his favorite White House destruction scene, Emmerich cited the 2012 film over his iconic "Independence Day." He found the tsunami scene in "2012," which submerges and crushes the White House, to be more complex and refined than the alien attack in "Independence Day."