>>> MASSIVE STRUCTURE STANDS ON THE SOUTH LAWN OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND UNDER IT, UFC FIGHTING RING.

THOUSANDS GATHERED TO WATCH THE FIRST FIGHTS ON PRESIDENT TRUMP'S 80th BIRTHDAY.

MORE SCHEDULED FOR THE 250th ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICA'S INDEPENDENCE.

THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE OF THE PRESIDENT'S CONTROVERSIAL RESHAPING OF HISTORIC LANDMARKS FROM THE DEMOLITION OF THE EAST WING TO PUTTING HIS NAME ON THE KENNEDY CENTER LAST DECEMBER.

THIS WAS REMOVED OVER THE WEEKEND AFTER A JUDGE RULED THE INSTALLATION ILLEGAL.

WASHINGTON POST GENERALIST DIAMOND HAS BEEN CLOSE EYE AND SPEAKS WITH MICHELLE MARTIN ABOUT WHAT THESE PROJECTS REVEAL.

>> THANKS.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> MICHELLE, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> YOU HAVE BEEN PURPORTING FOR MONTHS ON ALL OF THE BUILDING PROJECTS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS INITIATED.

FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE IN THE WASHINGTON AREA AND DON'T FOLLOW THIS, GIVE ME THE SHORT LIST OF WHAT COMES TO MIND.

WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?

>> HOW CAN I FORGET THEM?

THE PRESIDENT TORE DOWN THE EAST WING IN OCTOBER TO START BUILDING THE BALLROOM.

AROUND THAT TIME, WE ALSO SAW THE FIRST MOCKUPS OF WHAT WE NOW KNOW IS THE TRIUMPHAL ARCH THAT HE'S TRYING TO BUILD ON THE OUTSKIRTS ESSENTIALLY ON THE BORDER WITH VIRGINIA.

WE SAW IN RECENT WEEKS, PROJECT TO RESURFACE AND RENOVATE THE REFLECTING AND THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO BUILD A STATUARY GARDEN IN ONE OF WASHINGTON'S PARKS.

MICHELLE, THAT'S NOT EVEN COUNTING THE DOZENS OF SMALLER PROJECTS, LIKE RENOVATING FOUNTAINS, CLEANING PARTS OF THE CITY.

SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE VERY CONTROVERSIAL.

OTHER THINGS ARE MANY THINGS THAT D.C.

RESIDENTS ARE HAPPY ABOUT.

>> THE FOUNTAINS FOR SURE.

I LIVE IN WASHINGTON, SO I SEE IT ON MY NEIGHBORHOOD CHAT BOARD.

I DID LIKE THE FOUNTAIN.

THE GOLF COURSES, PUBLIC GOLF COURSE, TWO PUBLIC GOLF COURSES IN D.C.

AND I THINK ALSO IN MARYLAND, AS WELL.

IS THAT RIGHT?

DO I HAVE THAT RIGHT?

>> THE PRESIDENT IS WORKING TO REDEVELOP SEVERAL GOLF COURSES IN WASHINGTON AND NEARBY MARYLAND.

THE ONE IN WASHINGTON, THAT IS PART OF WASHINGTON WHERE FOR YEARS I HAVE GONE TO RUNNING AND PEOPLE GO BIKING.

THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO TURN IT INTO WORLD-CLASS GOLF COURSE WHERE WE HAVE THIS COURSE THAT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC RIGHT NOW AND THERE ARE TWO COURSES THROUGH THE AIR FORCE BASE THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ENLISTED JACK NICHOLAS, FAMOUS GOLF PLAYER AND DESIGNER TO COME AND REDEVELOP, TOO.

THAT HAS SPARKED A STANDOFF WITH MUST MORE, MARYLAND GOVERNOR CLAIMING THAT WESTMORE IS GETTING IN THE WAY OF REDEVELOPING GOLF COURSES.

MY COLLEAGUE TALKED TO MARYLAND OFFICIALS WHO SAY THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT TRUMP IS ANGRY ABOUT AND THEY MIGHT NOT JUST BE WORKING AS QUICKLY AS TRUMP WANTS THEM DO, WHICH IS BECAUSE A THEME.

DO ALL OF THESE THINGS, WANTS TO DO THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND PREFERABLY DURING HIS TERM.

>> THAT'S ANOTHER QUESTION I WAS GOING TO ASK.

WHEN YOU TAKE THESE TOGETHER, IS THERE A THEME THAT EMERGES AND A LINE TO ALL OF THIS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK TRUMP THINKS TO HIMSELF AND TALKS TO HIMSELF AS A BUILDER AT HEART.

THIS WAS HIS CAREER BEFORE HE BECAME A POLITICIAN.

HE ENJOYS IT AND WOULD RATHER DO THIS KIND OF WORK THAN ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE AND WE HAVE REPORTED ON CONVERSATIONS HE HAS HAD IN THE WHITE HOUSE IS TALKING ABOUT IMPORTANT NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE OR HEALTH ISSUE AND IT GETS DIVERTED TO THESE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND HE WILL WAIVE PEOPLE IN THE OVAL OFFICE AND SAY, TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT I'VE DONE ON THE CAMPUS AND THE CHANGES I HAVE MADE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE OFFICE IN THE NEW COLONNADE FOR INSTANCE HE PUT IN WITH THE CHANGES TO THE ROSE GARDEN WHERE HE IS PROUD OF THESE THINGS AND MAYBE THESE CHANGES NEEDED TO HAPPEN, BUT THEY ARE THINGS THAT TRUMP WANTED TO HAVE HAPPEN AND HE SEES IT AT THE LEGACY THAT HE WILL LEAVE BEHIND AS THE BUILDER PRESIDENT.

>> I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT.

WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT THESE PROJECTS, WHAT DID THEY SAY THEY WERE DOING?

>> IT DEPENDS ON THE PROJECT.

THE WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM, WE WILL START WITH THAT.

THAT HAS CAPTIVATED THE NATION.

WE HAVE SEEN THE REACTION WERE JONATHAN EDWARDS AND I WITH THE FIRST STORY BY THE EAST WING BEING DEMOLISHED.

SINCE OCTOBER, WE HAVE HEARD THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS AND YOU SEE PUBLIC REACTION MAY BE IN THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE THOUGHTS WITH PART OF THE WHITE HOUSE TORN DOWN.

THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION WHO SAY, LOOK, WE DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE THIS BIG A BALLROOM, BUT COULD WE USE MORE SPACE?

I DON'T KNOW, MICHELLE, IF YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE WEST WING OR WHITE HOUSE, BUT IT'S KIND OF SMALL.

I THINK THE VISION WAS THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A CASTLE.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE IMPOSING.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE GRACEFUL SYMMETRY AND SIMPLICITY.

WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP IS TRYING TO ADD A VERY LIGHT LARGE BALLROOM THAT IS TWICE THE SIZE OF THE LIGHTHOUSE MISSION MANSION, THERE ARE FOLKS AND DEMOCRATS AND WE COULD USE SPACE, BUT IS THIS THE AMOUNT OF SPACE OR KIND OF STRUCTURE THAT SHOULD BE BUILT?

PROBABLY NOT.

THE WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM IS ONE AREA WHERE SOME TRUMP OFFICIALS MIGHT OFFER SOME ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THAT IS JUST TOO BIG.

THERE IS A PROJECT LIKE THE REFLECTING POOL, WHICH MOVED VERY QUICKLY IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS TO DO AND HE WENT AROUND ALL OF THE NORMAL LEGAL REVIEWS AND TO GET SIGNED OFF FROM CONGRESS AND JUST WENT AHEAD AND DID IT WITH MANY TRUMP OFFICIALS POINTING TO THAT, INCLUDE THE PRESIDENT SAYING, LOOK, THIS IS A PLAYBOOK FOR WHAT HE'S TRYING TO DO.

THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS CAN BE DONE QUICKLY.

THEY COULD BE DONE LESS EXPENSIVE.

THEY CAN BE DONE EFFECTIVELY.

AS OF TODAY AS WE ARE TALKING, IT DOES LOOK GOOD.

THIS IS WHAT TRUMP IS TRYING TO DO.

THE PROJECT DEPENDS ON THE REACTION YOU'RE GOING TO GET.

TRUMP OFFICIALS HAVE LEARNED TO STEM FROM THE TRUMP HANDBOOK ON EVERYTHING, SO IT'S HARD TO GET THEM ON THINGS THAT MIGHT BE SOMEWHAT CONTROVERSIAL TO BE OUT RIGHT CRITICAL.

>> A LARGE PART OF REPORTING IS PROCESS.

IT'S THE WHAT AND ALSO TO HOW.

WHAT IS THE LINE ON PROCESS, WHETHER IT'S THE BALLROOM, ARTS OR REFLECTING POOL OR PUTTING HIS NAME ON THE KENNEDY CENTER, WHICH TECHNICALLY THE BOARD MADE THAT DECISION AND HAND- PICKED THE BOARD AND MADE HIMSELF A CHAIRMAN, SO HERE WE ARE.

THE WAY HE HAS GONE ABOUT THESE THINGS IS ALSO A BIG PART OF THE STORY.

WHAT IS THAT?

>> YOU ARE RIGHT.

TRUMP WANTS TO MOVE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE AND AS EXHAUSTIVELY AS POSSIBLE.

HE WILL CLEAR FEDERAL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT HISTORICALLY WERE APOLITICAL THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD PEOPLE ON THEM FOR YEARS SERVING ACROSS THE MULTIPLE PRESIDENCIES.

THEY HAVE FIGURED OUT THAT IF YOU SAY, FIRE ALL COMMISSIONERS OF FINE ARTS, EXPERTS IN ARCHITECTURE, SCULPTURE AND ART BASICALLY MIGHT HAVE TAKEN A PROJECT LIKE THE WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM AS MONTHS OR YEARS OF QUESTIONS SENT IT BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND SAID THAT THIS IS WAY TOO BIG AND SHOULD BE HALF THE SIZE.

THE REVIEW TEAM DOESN'T EXIST.

THE PEOPLE THAT TRUMP HAS PUT ON THE COMMISSION INCLUDES YOUNG EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AND INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO SERVE IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND THE CHAIRMAN HAS BEEN VERY MUCH AN AMBASSADOR FOR CHART JUDGMENT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S IDEAS.

GOING AROUND THE WORLD AND TALKING ABOUT HOW GREAT HIS BALLROOM WILL BE.

THAT IS A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE.

PRESIDENT TRUMP IS ON THE VERGE OF GETTING WHAT HE WANTS, BECAUSE HE FIGURED OUT THAT IF COMMISSIONS ARE ON HIS SIDE AND FIND LOOPHOLES WHERE HE MIGHT NOT NEED TO GO TO CONGRESS, LIKE SOLICITING PRIVATE MONEY TO PAY FOR THINGS.

THE ONLY OF RESISTANCE IS IN THE COURTS AND IT'S UNCLEAR AS OF NOW WHETHER THE HIGHEST COURT, SUPREME COURT, WILL REIGN IN TRUMP WHEN THE PROJECTS GET IN FRONT OF THEM.

>> YOU POINT OUT THAT THE WHITE HOUSE EXECUTIVE MANSION WHERE A NUMBER OF THESE OTHER PROJECTS IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL HAVE A VERY INTENTIONAL DESIGN AND IT'S MEANT TO EVOKE MODESTY.

IT IS MEANT TO BE THE OPPOSITE OF KINGLY.

EVEN THE PLANNING OF WHERE THE MONUMENTS OR PLACED OR HOW THEY ARE PLACED IS ALSO PART OF THE LAW AND PROCESS OF THOUGHT AND DELIBERATION.

THE ARCH, FOR EXAMPLE.

IT INTERFERES WITH THE LINES BETWEEN THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL AND ARLINGTON CEMETERY WHERE MANY NATIONS AND MOST IMPORTANT WERE HEROES AND ARE -- FORMER PRESIDENTS ARE INTERRED AND FORMER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.

I'M WONDERING IF HE'S EVER DISCUSSED WHY HE THINKS HIS VISION IS SUPERIOR TO THAT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE WHOSE DESIGN PRINCIPLES REFLECT OUR MEANT TO REFLECT LARGER COMMUNITY VALUES.

>> WHAT THE PRESIDENT MAINTAINS IS HE IS TAKING SPACES AND PLACES THAT WERE DESIGNED WITH INTENTIONALITY AND MODESTY AND HE IS IMPROVING THEM.

THE PRESIDENT AND HIS TEAM HAVE ARGUED WITH SOME JUSTIFICATION THAT THERE WAS A STRUCTURE ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED FOR THE PLACE THEY WANT TO BUILD THE ARCH.

I THINK I WROTE THE FIRST STORY BACK IN OCTOBER THAT IF YOU GO BACK TO THE McMILLAN PLANT AND I WAS LOOKING AT THIS WITH EXPERTS WITH SOME UNDEFINED THING THAT MIGHT BE IN THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE THAT WE HAVE WHERE NOTHING WAS EVER BUILT.

PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE THE TRUMP ARCH, BUT PEOPLE WHO SAY, MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING THERE.

THERE'S NOTHING IN THE SPACE.

THE ISSUE ISN'T THAT TRUMP IS BUILDING, BUT IT'S WHAT HE'S BUILDING.

YOU ARE RIGHT THAT THE ARCH, AS WE AND OTHER NEWS OUTLETS HAVE SHOWN, IT WILL BLOCK ABUSE.

THAT'S WHY MILITARY VETERANS HAVE BROUGHT A LAWSUIT.

THE WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM, FOR INSTANCE, SOMETHING TO CHANGE THE INTERACTION OF PEOPLE AS THEY WALK PAST THE WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS AND TRY TO LOOK AT THE WHITE HOUSE MANSION.

I WAS IN COURT ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO AS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ARGUED IN DEFENSE AND THE FEDERAL JUDGE WHO I BELIEVE WAS APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS QUESTING THE LAWYER WHO SAID, IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE VIEW, FIND ANOTHER VIEW AND THE JUDGE HELD UP THE UPPER HAND AND SAID, HOLD YOUR HAND LIKE THIS AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WHITE HOUSE AND IT WON'T BOTHER YOU.

KIND OF A CRAZY ARGUMENT.

WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO HOLD OUR HANDS IN FUNNY WAYS TO LOOK AT MONUMENTS.

WE SHOULD HAVE A PUBLIC CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT MONUMENTS MIGHT DO AND WHAT THEY MIGHT CHANGE INSTEAD OF GOING FULL SPEED AHEAD ON CHANGING HISTORIC LANDSCAPES OF WASHINGTON.

>> WHO IS PAYING FOR ALL OF THIS?

>> IT DEPENDS ON THE PROJECT AND IT MAY WELL BE THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER.

IN OTHER CASES, IT WILL BE PRIVATE DONORS.

PEOPLE WHO HAVE GIVEN TRUMP A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS, RICH AMERICANS.

AMAZON, WHICH WAS FOUNDED BY JEFF BEZOS, WHICH HE'S THE OWNER OF THE WASHINGTON POST, AMAZON HAS GIVEN MONEY.

GOOGLE HAS GIVEN MONEY.

MAJOR CORPORATIONS THAT MANY CASES HAVE BUSINESS BEFORE THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

WE ARE STILL FINDING OUT WHO'S PAYING FOR THE ARCH, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT MANY PROJECTS WILL DIP IN TO PRIVATE MONEY THAT TRUMP IS RAISING ON HIS OWN.

>> IS THAT LEGAL?

>> WE WILL FIND OUT.

>> I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE COURT CASE WITH JONATHAN EDWARDS OVER THE BALLROOM AND JUDGE LEON WHO IS AN APPOINTEE OF REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT WHO IS VERY SKEPTICAL OF THE IDEA OF USING PRIVATE DONATIONS TO PAY FOR THE BALLROOM AND HE CALLED IT A GOLDBERG CONTRAPTION ALLUDING TO ONE OF THOSE FUNNY THINGS WHERE IT EVENTUALLY HAS ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT STEPS AND THE WHITE HOUSE IS ARGUING THAT THEY CAN RAISE PRIVATE DONATIONS AND USE GIFTS BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT.

THE JUDGE APPOINTED BY REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT IS SKEPTICAL.

WILL FIND OUT IF OTHER JUDGES AGREE.

THERE ARE SIMILAR IDEAS TO SAY WHETHER THE STATUARY GARDEN.

THERE HASN'T BEEN FULL TRANSPARENCY OVER WHO HAS PAID WHAT AND SOME OF THIS HAS LEAKED OUT TO REPORTS AND OTHER OUTLETS HAVE FOUND SOME OF THE AMOUNTS OF MONEY, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A FULL LIST OF ALL OF THE DONORS AND WHAT THEY HAVE GIVEN AND WHAT THEY RECEIVED.

IF THEY HAVE BEEN PROMISED ANY SPECIAL ACCESS AND GOT ANY SPECIAL AUDIENCE WITH THE PRESIDENT, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY PAYING TO PLAY AND BUYING THE AUDIENCE WITH THE PRESIDENT, BECAUSE THEY ARE GIVING.

>> LAWSUITS.

HAVE THERE BEEN MANY?

>> EVERY PROJECT RUNS AT LEAST ONE LAWSUIT.

THE BALLROOM LAWSUIT IS THE FURTHEST ALONG.

FEDERAL JUDGE RULED TO HALT THE PROJECT THAT THE ORDER WAS WITH AN APPEALS PANEL AND CONSIDERING WHETHER TO LET THE PROJECT GO FORWARD OR HALT IT AGAIN.

HAVING BEEN IN COURT, THE THREE- JUDGE PANEL AND TWO OF WHOM APPOINTED BY DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTS ARE PRETTY SKEPTICAL OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ARGUMENTS AND THEY WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED TO SEE THE BALLROOM HALTED ONE MORE TIME.

THE LITIGATION AROUND THE KENNEDY CENTER, PRESIDENT TRUMP IN SOME WAYS HAS ADMITTED DEFEAT AND SAYS HE WILL GIVE KENNEDY CENTER CONTROL BACK TO CONGRESS.

THIS COMES AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP IS DRIVING AWAY MANY ACTS THAT WILL PERFORM AT THE KENNEDY CENTER.

YOU CAN SAY IS WORK IS ALREADY DONE WITH THE KENNEDY CENTER.

THERE IS LITIGATION AROUND THE ARCH AND WHETHER TO PAUSE THE PROJECT.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAYS IT'S TOO EARLY TO PAUSE THE PROJECT.

TECHNICALLY, WORK HASN'T STARTED AND THERE HAS BEEN LITIGATION AROUND THE REFLECTING POOL IN THE JOB WAS DONE SO QUICKLY THAT THE JUDGE DIDN'T EVEN GET A CHANCE TO RULE IN THAT CASE.

OTHER EFFORTS THAT TRUMP HAS UNDERTAKEN TO PURSUE CHANGES HAVE ALSO DRAWN LITIGATION.

>> IT'S SO FASCINATING AND I UNDERSTAND THE PRESIDENT AND ALSO HIS SUPPORTERS PARTICULARLY IN THE ADMINISTRATION SAY THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO.

WHEN YOU ACT WITH URGENCY, YOU GET THINGS DONE.

IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT MANY PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC DO GET FRUSTRATED WITH THE PACE OF GOVERNMENT.

DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHETHER THE BROADER PART PUBLIC IS PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS?

>> HERE'S WHAT I .2.

VIRTUALLY ALL OF THESE PROJECT ARE OPPOSED BY A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS.

IT'S NOT UNUSUAL THAT A MAJOR WASHINGTON PROJECT MIGHT DRAW A RESISTANCE.

OTHER CHANGES HAVE BEEN OPPOSED .

THIS SOMETIMES HAPPENED.

PEOPLE LIKE THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE AND SOMETHING GETS BUILT AND THEY LIKE THE NEW THING AFTER ALL, BUT IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THE BALLROOM AND ARCH IN PARTICULAR HAVE DRAWN NEGATIVE REVIEWS IN MULTIPLE POLLS.

WE HAVE ALSO SEEN WAVES OF PUBLIC COMMENT NOT JUST STORIES OF WASHINGTON POST, BUT PEOPLE WEIGHING IN WITH THE FEDERAL COMMISSIONS REVIEWING THESE PROJECTS.

WE DID A STUDY OF THE 35,000 COMMENTS THAT POURED IN ON THE BALLROOM AND 97% PROBABLY IN REALITY CLOSER TO 99% WERE NEGATIVE ON THE PROJECT.

THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER COMMENTARY PERIODS ON OTHER PROJECTS AND OFFICIALS SAID IT'S THE SAME STORY.

UNANIMOUS OR NEAR UNANIMOUS RESISTANCE TO THESE IDEAS.

WE KNOW THE EXERCISES AMERICANS.

THE REASON WHY IS THAT THESE ARE FAMILIAR PLACES.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO CARE ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE OR NATIONAL MALL, LINCOLN MEMORIAL.

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY.

THESE ARE PLACES THAT HAVE MEANING AND RESIDENCE TO AMERICANS AND IN SOME CASES PEOPLE ABROAD.

THEY ARE SYMBOLS OF THE COUNTRY.

THE FACT THAT THERE MAY BE GETTING RENOVATED OR FIXED IS ONE THING.

THE FACT THAT SPACES ARE GETTING POTENTIALLY PERMANENTLY ALTERED IF HE BUILDS THIS LARGE BALLROOM, THERE ARE DEMOCRATS WHO SAY WHEN HE TO TEAR DOWN ON DAY ONE, BUT I THINK THERE'S A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE THAT IF THE BALLROOM GETS BUILT BY DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTS WILL LEARN TO LIVE WITH IT AND THEY WILL WANT TO USE THE SPACE IN SOME WAYS.

TRUMP HAS FOUND THIS WAY TO IMPOSE HIS WILL AND IT'S NOT THAT THESE THINGS ARE GETTING FIXED, BUT ONE PERSON IS DECIDING HOW TO FIX THEM AND THAT DOESN'T SIT WELL WITH A LOT OF AMERICANS, INCLUDING SOME REPUBLICANS.

>> LOOKING AHEAD, LET'S SAY FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT THAT THEY ARE IN FACT COMPLETED.

DO YOU THINK -- WILL OTHER PRESIDENTS LOOK AT THIS AS A PRECEDENT FOR REMAKING PHYSICAL LANDSCAPE TO THEIR LIKING?

DO YOU THINK THIS IS A PARTICULAR REOCCUPATION OF A PARTICULAR PERSON?

WHAT'S YOUR SENSE OF THAT?

>> I NEVER SAY NO TO ANOTHER PRESIDENT OR SOMEONE LIKE TRUMP.

WHO COULD HAVE IMAGINED TRUMP UNTIL WE GOT TRUMP?

THERE MAY BE ANOTHER PRESIDENT IN THE FUTURE WHO WANT TO FOLLOW A SIMILAR PLAYBOOK, BUT I HAVE TO IMAGINE THAT MOST PRESIDENTS WILL BE MORE RESTRAINED IN HOW THEY DO THINGS AND PROBABLY HAVE A DIFFERENT PRIORITY SET.

PRESIDENT TRUMP IS DEVOTING A LOT OF TIME TO THESE PROJECTS AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANOTHER PRESIDENT WOULD CARE AS MUCH ABOUT THE WALKWAY OUTSIDE THE OVAL OFFICE, FOR INSTANCE.

THE MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, MICHELLE, THERE IS NOW A BIG HOLE NEXT TO THE WHITE HOUSE MANSION.

THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE REFLECTING AND MAYBE IT WON'T LOOK GOOD IN 15 YEARS, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T DO THE STUDIES WE SHOULD ON THE NEW BLUE BOTTOM WILL MEAN FOR THE ALGAE THAT GROWS AND REFLECTING POOL.

THIS WILL BE A TIME, I THINK, WHERE PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY NOT TO ACHIEVE ALL PROJECTS, BUT SOME OF THEM AND PUT A PHYSICAL IMPRINT ON THE CITY IN A WAY HE THINKS WILL BE PART OF HIS LEGACY AS PRESIDENT.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> MICHELLE, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND I'M GLAD TO TALK ABOUT THE WASHINGTON POST REPORTING.