Because of the background, a resurrected old photograph of Donald Trump and his ex-wife Ivana has gone viral online. The Instagram account Xennialfarmer posted the photo, which depicts the pair standing on Palace Square in what was then Leningrad, Russia, in 1987. The Winter Palace and the Hermitage Museum, brimming with wealth and splendor, frame Trump in a dapper black suit and Ivana in a red polka-dot shirt and pearls.
The picture was captioned: 1987: Trump and Ivana in Leningrad, Russia. You now understand what motivated him to restore the Oval Office.Online users immediately started drawing a comparison between Trump’s astounding $200 million White House extension, a huge ballroom project spanning 90,000 square feet that begun on September 1 and closed to public tours, and the opulent Russian palaces.
One critic raged in the comments, “He’s destroying the White House.” Another criticized his taste, stating: “Yes, I understand what motivated his tacky and unclassy WH decorations.”Similar to him, others piled on, labeling the plans GAWDY & GOLD and terrible. “OMG, I’ve been saying that all along,” one individual said.
Trump has redesigned the White House in his own image since retaking office in January 2025, and some argue the aesthetic shouts palace over politics. Reagan’s lighter rug has taken Biden’s place inside the Oval Office. Obama’s picture? taken out. Washington was substituted for Roosevelt. The presidential seal and the ceiling are now trimmed in gold. Trump even adorned the mantel with elaborate frames and antique gold urns. He teased a large East Wing ballroom outside, forgoing the grass of the Rose Garden in favor of a stone terrace.
The fact that Ivana, who died three years ago following a fall, was by Trump’s side during those formative years of golden ambition made the unearthed photo more poignant. After 13 years of marriage, Ivana, the mother of Don Jr., Ivanka, and Eric, divorced Trump in 1990, but she continued to play a significant role in his life. “Donald may not have been the best husband to me, but he was a good father to the kids,” she said in her memoir, Raising Trump.
She attended his inauguration in 2017, vocally supported his presidential campaign, and even joked to ABC News, “I have the direct number to the White House, but I don’t really want to call because Melania is there.” She did this despite their breakup. Please understand that I am essentially the first Trump wife and don’t want to incite jealousy or anything. Okay, I’m the first lady.
Does anyone recall this footage of Ivana Trump discussing Donald Trump and naming her children?Twitter: pic.twitter.com/Is0gS4ZPzE
June 7, 2025 Suzie Rizzio (@Suzierizzo1)
In the end, Ivana left their marriage with a divorce payment of up to $25 million. Following her, Trump wed Marla Maples, who is renowned for telling Ivana, “I love your husband,” before eventually being married to Melania in 2005.Critics claim that Trump’s reimagining of America’s most famous home may have been inspired more by a gilded Russian mansion and Ivana’s ghost.
