Photo by Jim Havard
Amid lawmakers’ concerns over a delay in resuming White House tours, First Lady Melania Trump announced today that the public will be able to visit her future home in Washington beginning March 7.
“I am excited to reopen the White House to the hundreds of thousands of visitors who come each year,” Trump said in a release. “The White House is a remarkable and historic site and we are excited to share its beauty and history. I am committed to the restoration and preservation of our Nation’s most recognizable landmark.”
Americans can request the self-guided tours through their congressional representatives. The tours will be available from 7:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 7:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, excluding federal holidays or unless otherwise noted, according to the release.
Though it’s housed in the East Wing, the president is responsible for appointing the head of the White House Visitors Office, which handles the tours. The office closed to the public during the presidential transition period, as is the custom.
But congressional members have since voiced concerns about a lengthy wait time, noting that the last three presidents resumed the tours quickly after their inaugurations—in some cases, the following day.
Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama all appointed a director to the White House Visitors Office before being sworn in, according to a letter signed by at least two dozen lawmakers. The Trump administration has yet to announce a new director.
After being appointed as the first lady’s chief of staff earlier this month, Lindsay Reynolds said she was working to ensure that the visitors office is fully staffed and operational. She added that “we are using this time to tend to routine maintenance, updates and renovations along the tour route to ensure the guest experience is top notch.”
When the tours resume next month, First Lady Melania Trump will have yet to have taken up residence in the White House as she decided to stay at her Trump Tower home in New York until her son Barron finishes this school year.
