Bill Clinton Once Called the White House Movie Theater the ‘Best Perk’ of the Job. It Was Destroyed This Week.

The White House Family Theater, once described by Bill Clinton as the “best perk” of the presidency, has been demolished as part of President Donald Trump’s plan to construct a $300 million ballroom on the East Wing of the White House.

First created in 1942 during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, the 42-seat movie theater was built from a converted cloakroom and became one of the most beloved spaces in the Executive Mansion. Roosevelt reportedly enjoyed watching wartime news reels there, calling entertainment “a national asset” during World War II.

For generations, the screening room served as a place of comfort and culture for presidents and their families. Movies shown ranged from official screenings to private film nights. In one well-known incident, Jimmy Carter mistakenly screened the X-rated Oscar-winning film “Midnight Cowboy” in 1977. Years later, Ronald Reagan hosted a showing of “E.T.” attended by Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and astronaut Neil Armstrong.

“The best perk out in the White House is not Air Force One or Camp David or anything else,” Clinton once said. “It’s the wonderful movie theatre I get here, because people send me these movies all the time.”

Over the decades, the theater underwent several renovations, from green chairs and mustard curtains to an all-red design. It became a symbol of presidential leisure, hosting everything from private family viewings to historic screenings for dignitaries and guests.

The demolition of the Family Theater marks the end of a significant piece of White House history. The East Wing, which has traditionally housed the First Lady’s offices and the connecting colonnade to the Executive Residence, is being cleared to make room for Trump’s ballroom project.

With its removal, one of the most personal and cherished presidential spaces — where film, family, and politics intersected — is gone, closing a unique chapter in White House tradition.

Credit: CNN Newsource

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