President Donald Trump has razed the historic East Wing of the White House to make way for a £225m ballroom, sparking outrage among historians and preservationists. The demolition, completed on Friday, came just days after construction began on the vast new event space, which will nearly double the size of the main building.
The East Wing, originally built as the East Terrace in 1902 under Theodore Roosevelt and expanded by Franklin Roosevelt in 1942, housed the first lady's staff and the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. It served as the social entrance for tourists and guests. Trump had previously promised in July that no existing structures would be torn down, but the White House confirmed the entire wing would be demolished shortly after work started.
The 90,000 sq ft ballroom, capable of seating 999 people, dwarfs the current East Room, which accommodates only 200. Renderings resemble the gilded ballroom at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club. The project is privately funded by “many generous Patriots”, including tech giants Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft and Google, as well as defence contractors like Lockheed Martin and Palantir.
Critics have condemned the destruction. David Frum, a former George W. Bush speechwriter, tweeted about the symbolic wrecking of public assets. The National Trust for Historic Preservation urged a pause, warning the ballroom would “overwhelm the White House”. Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley likened the demolition to “slashing a Rembrandt painting”.
The Trump administration dismissed the criticism as “manufactured outrage”. Construction began without approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, which oversees government building renovations. The White House insists the ballroom will be ready before Trump's term ends in January 2029.
