Rose Garden renovation reveals anti-Trump resistance even more deranged than it seems

The politicized life is an ugly thing, folks.

First lady Melania Trump this weekend became the target of a Two Minutes Hate from the anti-Trump “resistance” following the reopening of the White House Rose Garden, which she renovated with private donations and the help of the National Parks Service.

One may not care for the new aesthetic, but it is what it is: a garden renovation. However, judging by the onslaught of hate directed at the first lady following the garden’s reopening, one would think that she had murdered a baby panda on live television. And even crazier than a weirdly large number of people claiming to have an emotional investment in the Rose Garden is that their furious responses reveal they are unfamiliar both with the basics of the renovation and horticulture. These people do not know why they are angry. They just know that they are.

Excited to honor history & celebrate the future in our beautiful @WhiteHouse Rose Garden this evening. Thank you to all who helped renew this iconic & truly gorgeous space. pic.twitter.com/ggiqLkdGbw

— Melania Trump 45 Archived (@FLOTUS45) August 22, 2020

“I feel SICK to my stomach that ho cut down our Glorious DC Cherry Trees. Sick,” said actress Lisa Ann Walter. “My outrage is that there’s a classless, illegal immigrant, former escort masquerading as a first lady. Our country deserves better.”

First, those were not “cherry trees” in the Rose Garden. They were crabapple trees. Second, they were not “cut down.” (The remainder of Walter’s note does not dignify a response.) The first lady’s changes emphasize roses, which require at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight. As a result, the crabapple trees have been removed so that their shade does not adversely affect the roses. The trees will be replanted elsewhere on the White House grounds, according to USA Today.

“A seating area on the east side of the garden … has been removed and will be replaced by a yet-to-be-announced art installation,” USA Today reports. “The most visually striking change to the garden was the addition of a 3-foot-wide limestone walking path bordering the central lawn.”

The report adds, “Less noticeable changes include improved drainage and infrastructure and making the garden more accessible for people with disabilities. Audiovisual, broadcasting and other technical fixes are part of the plan, too.”

The online reaction to the renovation, including from the anti-Trump “resistance,” has been utterly deranged. Here is just a small sampling of some of the reflexively angry, ignorant, and remarkably cruel responses that “resisters,” including members of the news and entertainment industries, had this weekend after the Rose Garden’s reopening. And remember, we are talking about a garden here: