President Donald Trump responded sharply to former First Lady Michelle Obama’s comments calling the demolition of the White House’s East Wing and its replacement a “disaster.” Trump defended the $250-300 million project, stating it’s privately funded and will become “one of the greatest ballrooms in the world.”
In an interview, Trump described the old East Wing as inadequate for state functions—recalling a previous event where guests sat in tents with six inches of rainwater on the lawn. He said the structure had been renovated over 20 times, including a poorly executed added floor, and argued the building “looked like hell.”
Michelle Obama had publicly criticized the demolition, saying the East Wing housed the first lady’s office and was “the heart” of her work, and decried its removal as symbolic of diminishing the role. Trump countered that the legacy building required significant improvements and that the new 90,000-square-foot ballroom will adhere to classic White House architecture and host major international events.