The White House’s historic East Wing is set to be completely torn down to make room for a massive new ballroom commissioned by Donald Trump, despite earlier assurances to preserve the existing structure.
Officials confirmed that crews have already begun demolition of the section that housed the First Lady’s offices and social staff. Trump stated the removal is “necessary to do it properly,” following consultations with architects. The new ballroom is expected to cover about 90,000 square feet and is slated to cost approximately $300 million—higher than initial estimates.
Critics, including preservation groups and lawmakers, have raised concerns about the speed of the work, the lack of formal approvals from federal planning bodies prior to demolition, and the potential loss of a significant piece of presidential-era architecture.
Trump maintains that the main White House structure will remain untouched and says the project is entirely privately funded. As the demolition progresses, the First Lady and her team have been relocated, and the full scope of the rebuild is still emerging.