Former First Lady Michelle Obama recently shared on her Audible Original, “The Light Podcast,” that while she lived in the White House, she experienced a leaky roof.

Many think of the White House as a pristine, historic home in Washington D.C.; while it is, it is also old. After 46 presidents, the White House has only seen a few major renovations. The first two major renovations happened before the 20th century. However, the last major upgrade was in 1952 when President Truman ordered the entire interior to be revamped.

Michelle Obama Recalls Her Leaky Roof At The White House

The former First Lady was shocked when she discovered water coming in from her roof.

“Barack and I are like, ‘What?’ [Sasha] said, ‘It’s raining in the dining room,’” Michelle told interviewer Elizabeth Alexander. “We said, ‘Okay, go to bed, get out of here, get out of here. Cause we thought, she’s just trying to get us up. And then it got quiet, and I heard rain. So I get up, put on my robe, cross the hall, and it is raining, literally: A pipe that was so old had burst, and it was pouring down rain,” Obama recalls.

 

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The Challenges With Wanting To Upgrade The White House

Obama warns that attempts to do any major work can hurt the party that is in office. She explained that major upgrades to the White House could also be seen as political.

“Politically, it is hard for a sitting president to make the decision to spend the money to do repairs,” she said. “Because the other party will criticize the president and say, ‘Oh look, he’s taking taxpayer’s money!’ So I will just say this to the people in here: The White House needs to be cared for,” she explained.

“So, if a president—regardless of party—decides to renovate, don’t get mad,” she said. “Don’t get mad! It needs it.”

First Lady Michelle Obama’s podcast shares more about her experience living in the White House. Her latest episode is now streaming on Audible.