The East Wing of the White House, home to the First Lady’s offices and staff, is being completely torn down to make way for President Donald Trump’s latest project: a 90,000-square-foot ballroom.
Demolition crews have began dismantling the wing, despite Mr Trump’s earlier assurances that his construction plans would not affect the existing structure.
Reuters reports the move marks one of the most dramatic alterations to the White House in decades.
“In order to do it properly, we had to take down the existing structure,” Mr Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday.
An administration official confirmed that the demolition will be completed within two weeks.
“We can confirm that the entire East Wing is going to be modernised and renovated to, I guess, support the … ballroom project,” the official said.
Heritage concerns
The East Wing, first added in 1942 under Franklin D. Roosevelt, has been part of presidential history for more than 80 years.
Its removal has sparked outrage among Democrats and preservationists who argue that the Trump administration failed to follow proper review procedures.
“President Trump’s desecration of the White House is an insult to the American people and a betrayal of his obligation to safeguard our history and heritage,” said U.S. Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has called on the administration to halt the demolition until the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) completes its review.
The organisation’s letter expressed concern that the proposed ballroom “will overwhelm the White House itself,” which totals 55,000 square feet.
Questions about oversight
The White House has said it will submit the ballroom plans for review by the NCPC, which oversees federal construction projects in Washington, D.C., and surrounding areas.
However, the review is beginning only after demolition has already started.
Will Scharf, the White House staff secretary and NCPC chairman, told Reuters that he had not been involved in the project’s planning and would act independently when the proposal comes before the commission.
“Do I have the ability to vote, in my capacity as an NCPC commissioner, separate from my duties in the White House? Yeah, absolutely,” Mr Scharf said.
“If I don’t like a project, I’ll vote against it. If I do like a project, I’ll vote for it.”
Bryan Green, a former NCPC commissioner under President Joe Biden, argued that demolition and construction should have been reviewed as one unified process.
Funding and timeline
Mr Trump said the ballroom project will now cost $300 million, up from the $200 million price tag announced in July.
He maintains that he and private donors are funding the work but has not released full financing details.
“These pictures have been in newspapers,” Mr Trump said, referring to photos of the proposed design displayed in the Oval Office alongside a model of the ballroom.
Mr Scharf expects the NCPC review to take about three months, with two or three public meetings to allow for comment.
“It’s a rigorous process,” he said, though he added that some projects can move “quite quickly.”
A landmark transformed
Presidential renovations are not new. Many presidents have expanded or modernised the White House, but Trump’s ballroom represents the most significant structural change in generations.
As demolition continues, onlookers have gathered to witness history being dismantled.
Maryland resident Sarah Kavanagh, 59, said she came to see the site in person.
“I honestly feel like putting a bouquet of flowers for a memorial,” she said. “I think it’s disgusting.”
