Clinton renewed her criticism of the event by posting on social media that the White House “is not his house” but “our house” while promoting merchandise supporting candidates and organizations she said would respect the institution.
Continue Reading »“Remember, during today’s literal cage match on the White House grounds: No matter what, it’s not his house. It’s our house,” Clinton wrote.
“Get a hat, coaster, or sticker to support groups and candidates who will respect the form and the function of the people’s house.”
The post, which limited most public replies, quickly drew responses from Republican lawmakers, conservative commentators and political organizations.
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., referenced former President Bill Clinton’s relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky while criticizing Hillary Clinton’s remarks.
“They literally rented out the Lincoln Bedroom and don’t forget Bill’s activity in the Oval Office,” Burchett wrote.
“The vandalism that went on when you left was also well-documented,” Burchett added.
The Lincoln Bedroom became the subject of controversy during the Clinton administration after reports that major political donors had been invited to stay there.
Bill Clinton’s affair with Lewinsky led to his impeachment by the House of Representatives in 1998 on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, although he was later acquitted by the Senate.
Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Buzz Patterson, who carried the presidential emergency satchel known as the nuclear football during the Clinton administration, also sharply criticized the former first lady.
“I was the Air Force lieutenant colonel who carried the nuclear football for your husband inside that ‘people’s house’ you’re suddenly so precious about,” Patterson wrote.
He went on to reference allegations involving Bill Clinton and accused the former administration of misconduct while occupying the White House.
Conservative watchdog Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton also
weighed in.
“Woman who stole White House furniture has something to say about ‘our house,’” Fitton wrote on social media.
The official Republican Party account likewise responded, posting that Clinton should “sit this one out.”
Some of the criticism referenced longstanding allegations involving damage and missing items after the Clintons left the White House in 2001.
A Government Accountability Office review requested at the time by former Rep. Bob Barr, R-Ga., estimated roughly $15,000 in damage associated with the presidential transition.
According to contemporaneous reports, the GAO found that some incidents appeared to be intentional pranks, while Clinton supporters argued similar conduct had occurred during previous administrations and that the overall damage had been exaggerated.
Barr had alleged that the outgoing administration treated the White House “worse than college freshmen checking out of their dorm rooms.”
Trump’s UFC event itself has generated significant attention after a federal judge declined to block it from proceeding despite a last-minute lawsuit challenging its use of White House grounds.
The event was organized as part of celebrations surrounding America’s 250th anniversary and coincided with Trump’s 80th birthday.
Supporters have described it as a unique celebration featuring one of the president’s favorite sports, while critics have questioned whether a mixed martial arts event belongs on the White House lawn.
Clinton first criticized the UFC plans last month before renewing her objections Sunday with her social media post.
Her comments instead shifted attention toward her own time in the White House, as opponents revisited decades-old controversies involving the Clinton administration rather than focusing on the UFC event itself, Fox News reported.
The exchange added another chapter to the long-running political rivalry between Trump and Clinton, nearly a decade after their 2016 presidential contest, with both figures continuing to generate sharp reactions from supporters and critics alike.
