The Metropolitan Museum of Art has acquired the facade of the White House's East Wing, which was demolished by President Donald Trump to make way for a new ballroom. The acquisition marks a controversial chapter in Trump's history with historic preservation, echoing a similar incident from his early real estate career.
In 1979, Trump purchased the Bonwit Teller building on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, an Art Deco landmark, which he demolished to build Trump Tower. The Met had requested that Trump donate two 15-foot Art Deco sculptures of nearly nude goddesses and a nickel-plated grille from the building's facade. Trump initially agreed but later ordered the sculptures smashed by jackhammers, claiming they were too heavy and would delay construction.
The destruction drew sharp criticism from the Met, whose board of trustees questioned the artistic merit of the pieces. Today, the destroyed artworks are estimated to be worth $845,000, according to Forbes. Trump later expressed regret in his book "The Art of the Deal," stating, "Looking back, I regret that I had the sculptures destroyed."
The current demolition of the East Wing began this week, with heavy machinery removing the structure to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom costing an estimated $300 million. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has requested the Trump administration to preserve the facade, which has now been donated to the Met.
