President Donald Trump has begun demolishing parts of the White House’s East Wing, built in 1902, to make way for a new ballroom and colonnade. The project, estimated to cost $300 million (£225 million), will see the East Wing and East Colonnade replaced by a structure capable of hosting nearly 1,000 guests.
Critics, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, have voiced alarm that the new 90,000 sq ft building will overwhelm the 55,000 sq ft White House residence. Dr Carol Quillen, the trust’s leader, wrote to White House officials requesting a pause for public review, but demolition proceeded days later.
Historic artefacts from the demolished wing have been preserved, and the White House Historical Association conducted digital scans before the work. Trump has defended the project, stating it will eliminate the need for a “large and unsightly tent” used for state events, and called the ballroom “the most beautiful anywhere in the world.”
Funding comes from Trump himself, plus donations from companies including Amazon, Google, and Meta, raising legal concerns about potential access-for-payment. The project is expected to be completed before the end of Trump’s term, further reshaping the historic residence after his earlier Oval Office makeover featuring gold accents.
