Trump Family Launches Hotel in Landmark Post Office

Well over 100 journalists jostled with hundreds of VIP guests Wednesday morning, Oct. 26, to pass through lines of dozens of protestors and four levels of Metropolitan Police and Secret Service officers (not to mention hotel security) to access the sumptuous ballroom of the completely renovated Old Post Office on Pennsylvania Avenue, just three blocks from the White House. It was ribbon-cutting day for the Trump International Hotel.

With just 13 days before the presidential election, Republican nominee Donald Trump and his family were there to officially launch what they called their “incredibly special renovation project.” The theme was: “Under budget and ahead of schedule.” “Today is a metaphor for what we can accomplish for this country,” Trump told the packed ballroom.

The Trump family won the bid in 2011 over other hotel giants like Hilton Hotels, Marriott and Hyatt to remake the falling-apart D.C. landmark into a luxurious hotel, securing a 60-year ground lease. Ivanka Trump, who will turn 35 on Oct. 30, had been involved in every detail of renovating the historic building, which had earlier served as a food court and tourist attraction, into a 263-room luxury hotel. “I saw her all the time, at every level of the project,” said David Orowitz, senior vice president of the Trump Organization.

The family gave short speeches in the ballroom, where the name “Hillary” was never mentioned. But Trump gave a shout-out to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, sitting in the front row with his wife, Callista, and early Trump supporter Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama), for his confrontation with Fox News Anchor Megyn Kelly the night before.

The crowd then moved to the hotel’s grand reception room. Liveried hotel staff held plates with golden scissors on them. A large red ribbon was rolled out in front of the Trump family members, who each took a scissors and — at the count of three by the candidate — cut the ribbon to mark the official launch of the hotel. In reality, it had already been open for almost a month. Last week, the final presidential debate was viewed in the main room by more than 400 people. “We’ve already had two weddings here,” the family noted.

After the ceremony, Trump and the other family members all turned and looked up at the latticework balconies where hotel staff had gathered to watch the ceremony. The family waved, thanking them and all the workers for their contributions, as they had done earlier in the ballroom. Outside, almost a dozen protestors carrying AFL-CIO signs protesting hotel union contracts in Las Vegas marched in a circle. A University of Maryland student with a bullhorn led chants, in Spanish and English, of “Workers United Can Never Be Defeated.”

Meanwhile, Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence was campaigning in Nevada.