Fury. Resignation. A few cheers. That was the reaction when I asked readers what they thought of President Donald Trump’s demolition of the White House East Wing to make way for a massive ballroom.

I tried to put Trump’s move into context, linking to a story by a late colleague about President Harry Truman’s gutting of the entire White House exterior to rebuild it . I noted that many presidents have left their mark on the White House.

But more than 300 of the 3,400-plus people who subscribe to text messages I send out each weekday morning see what Trump is doing as something different. Four themes emerged: moral outrage and symbolism, respect for history and process, questions about legality and funding, and a small chorus of support viewing the project as progress.

“He’s tearing down

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