President Donald Trump on Saturday defended ongoing renovations to the White House, saying the work is restoring the executive mansion after years of neglect and will transform it into a symbol of "Extraordinary Beauty and Pride."

In a post on Truth Social, Trump shared what he described as before photos of the White House's front entrance, calling its condition "deplorable" and arguing the property had fallen into disrepair before he returned to office.

"This is the horrible front of the White House, and it's been like that for years," Trump wrote. "The condition is deplorable, just like our Country was when I inherited it from Sleepy Joe Biden."

Trump also pushed back against critics whom he said have questioned the time and resources devoted to the renovations.

"The Radical Left Dumocrats criticize me for spending so much time bringing our White House back to the Glory of 100 years ago," he wrote. "Actually, it will be far better than that."

The president said the renovations are part of a broader effort to restore Washington, D.C., and improve the nation's appearance.

"This is what we are doing all over Washington, D.C., and, in different ways, with our Country, itself!" Trump wrote.

Trump said the renovations will return the White House to a standard surpassing its historic appearance while preserving it as one of the nation's premier landmarks.

"The White House, as you can see in the before pictures attached, was an embarrassment," he wrote. "Believe it or not, these pictures were of the Main Entrance. In a short period of time, it will be a Symbol of Extraordinary Beauty and Pride!"

The White House has undergone numerous renovations and preservation projects over the decades to maintain the historic building, which serves as both the president's residence and the seat of the executive branch.

Maintenance and restoration work have been routinely carried out under successive administrations, although major projects often draw public attention because of the building's symbolic significance.

Trump has frequently emphasized beautification efforts during his second term, portraying them as part of a wider campaign to restore historic monuments, federal buildings, and public spaces in the nation's capital.

Congress refused the Trump administration’s request for $1 billion for the ballroom in May.

The administration wanted the money as part of a Homeland Security bill, but Republican and Democratic lawmakers rejected efforts to tack it on. It became politically toxic at a time when Americans were reeling from high inflation and the rising cost of living.

The Washington Post reported in June that the price tag for the project had ballooned to $600 million, according to a project summary prepared by the contractor, with more than half of that funding coming from taxpayers.