Carney says reports of replica Oval Office under construction 'are false'

White House press secretary Jay Carney said Wednesday that a report claiming that a replica Oval Office was being readied ahead of planned renovations in the West Wing were "false."

"Reports about a replica Oval Office are false, and no one is moving from the West Wing," Carney said at his daily press briefing.

Real Clear Politics reported that the government was building a new executive office for the president, along with other top-level staff members, inside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building near the White House complex. The story claimed work on a "nearly identical replica" of the president's office was already under way.

Carney did not flatly dismiss that renovations would occur in the West Wing, noting that reporters could see "ongoing" work. But he said there were no current plans to move anyone — "including the president" — from the West Wing.

Carney also again referred questions about renovations to the General Services Administration, which handles renovations and additions to the White House, saying the agency handled such inquiries "as a rule with renovations and things like that and work being done on this complex."

The GSA has not responded to requests for comment about potential renovations.

The government completed one large-scale building project last year deep below the driveway in front of the West Wing. Although that was described as an upgrade of air conditioning and plumbing systems, trucks regularly deposited large quantities of steel beams, concrete and electrical equipment, leading to speculation that a new bunker was under construction.

---