They Destroyed The White House For Trump’s Ballroom—And The Photos Are Devastating

Two officials from the Trump administration have revealed that the entire East Wing of the White House is set to be demolished “within days,” marking a major escalation of the $300 million ballroom construction project that President Donald Trump announced earlier this summer, according to NBC News.

One White House official told NBC News that the “entirety” of the East Wing would eventually be “modernized and rebuilt” during the construction process.

“The scope and the size of the ballroom project have always been subject to vary as the process develops,” the official added.

Notably, at the time of Trump’s announcement, the 79-year-old Republican claimed that construction of his massive ballroom would not interfere with the existing structure of the White House.

“It won’t interfere with the current building,” Trump said on July 31. “It’ll be near it, but not touching it, and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of.”

However, on Monday, demolition began on part of the East Wing—the traditional workspace of the first lady—as the White House moved forward with construction. Striking photos capturing the demolition show heavy machinery ripping through the East Wing’s façade, with shattered windows and debris scattered across the ground. One photo captured wires and rubble amid the extensive construction.

What will Donald Trump’s White House ballroom look like?

Trump has indicated that the 90,000-square-foot ballroom will accommodate up to 900 guests and, as of last week, estimated the total cost at roughly $250 million, funded by himself and private donors. However, on Wednesday, Trump updated the figure, stating the ballroom’s price is “about $300 million.”

According to the White House website, the new ballroom will stand largely apart from the main residence, yet its design and architectural character will closely mirror the original structure. The ballroom is planned for the site currently occupied by the East Wing, a section that has undergone extensive alterations and reconstructions over the years. Originally built in 1902, the East Wing has been renovated multiple times, including the addition of a second story in 1942.

A White House official told NBC News via email that “all the historical components of the East Wing, such as elements from [Rosalynn] Carter’s original Office of the First Lady, have been preserved and stored under the supervision of the White House Executive Residence and the National Park Service with support from the White House Historical Association. Plans are in place for future use.”

Donald Trump’s ballroom project is reportedly being constructed without authorization from the National Capital Planning Commission.

Notably, the White House ballroom construction is proceeding despite the absence of approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, which oversees such construction, the Associated Press reported. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit founded by Congress to safeguard historic structures, sent a letter on Oct. 21 to administration officials warning that the proposed ballroom would “overwhelm the White House itself” due to its size and scale.

“It is 55,000 square feet, and may also permanently disrupt the carefully balanced classical design of the White House with its two smaller, and lower, East and West Wings,” the non-profit added in their letter published Tuesday. “The federally recognized Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation offer clear guidance for construction projects affecting historic properties. The Standards provide that new additions should not destroy the historic fabric of the property and that the new work should be compatible with existing massing, size, scale, and architectural features.”

Carol Quillen, President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, pleaded in a separate letter, “We respectfully urge the Administration and the National Park Service to pause demolition until plans for the proposed ballroom go through the legally required public review processes, including consultation and review by the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts, both of which have authority to review new construction at the White House, and to invite comments from the American people.”

In response, the White House maintains it is not obligated to submit plans to the National Capital Planning Commission because only demolition—not construction—has officially commenced.

Take a look at a few more photos from the extensive demolition process on the next page.