WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House began demolition work Monday on a section of the historic East Wing — traditionally home to the First Lady’s offices — to make way for a massive new presidential ballroom commissioned by President Donald Trump. The project, estimated at $250 million, is moving forward despite not yet receiving authorization from the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), the federal agency tasked with approving major construction projects in the Washington area.
Dramatic images taken Monday show a backhoe tearing through the East Wing façade, leaving shattered windows and broken masonry strewn across the lawn. Reporters gathered nearby, watching the scene unfold from a park adjacent to the Treasury Department.
Trump confirmed the start of demolition on social media earlier in the day and referenced the project while hosting college baseball champions Louisiana State University and LSU-Shreveport in the East Room.
“We have a lot of construction going on, which you might hear periodically,” he said. “It just started today.”
The White House’s decision to push forward without the NCPC’s formal greenlight has raised questions about the project’s legality and oversight. During a September meeting, NCPC Chairman Will Scharf — who also serves as the White House staff secretary and one of Trump’s closest aides — stated that the commission’s jurisdiction does not extend to early demolition or site preparation work.
“What we deal with is essentially construction, vertical build,” Scharf said last month.
It remains unclear whether the White House has submitted official architectural plans for the ballroom to the NCPC. The agency’s offices are currently closed due to the ongoing government shutdown, further delaying any potential review process. The White House declined to comment on the matter.
When the ballroom project was first announced in July 2025, Trump said it would be designed to complement, not alter, the existing structure of the Executive Mansion.
“It’ll be near it but not touching it and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of,” Trump said at the time. “It’s my favorite. It’s my favorite place. I love it.”
The East Wing, built in 1902 and expanded during World War II, houses multiple administrative offices, including those of the First Lady and her staff. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in July that all affected offices will be temporarily relocated and that the East Wing will undergo modernization during the construction period.
“Nothing will be torn down,” Leavitt said during the project’s announcement, noting that the goal was to preserve the building’s historic integrity.
However, the current demolition images tell a different story — showing walls, windows, and structural elements being dismantled as part of the site preparation.
Trump has claimed that a grand ballroom has been envisioned by presidents for over 150 years, but never realized. The planned 90,000-square-foot glass-walled ballroom would dwarf the East Room, which currently accommodates about 200 guests, and is expected to hold 999 people once complete — up from the 650-person capacity announced in July.
The President has expressed frustration with hosting major state events in temporary outdoor structures, saying he dislikes “having kings, queens, presidents, and prime ministers in pavilions on the South Lawn.”
At a recent fundraising dinner with wealthy donors financing the project, Trump reportedly described the ballroom as “the most beautiful addition to the White House in history.”
If completed, the ballroom would represent the largest structural change to the Executive Mansion since 1948, when President Harry S. Truman added the Truman Balcony overlooking the South Lawn. The new addition, positioned just south of the East Wing, would significantly alter the White House grounds — already cleared of several mature trees during early site work in September.
According to plans shared with donors, the ballroom will feature floor-to-ceiling glass walls, state-of-the-art lighting, climate control systems, and a stage for musical performances and official ceremonies. Trump has said he envisions the space hosting future state dinners, holiday galas, and major press events.
The project is slated for completion by January 2029, just before the end of Trump’s current term.
Whether the ballroom becomes a new symbol of presidential legacy or a lightning rod for controversy remains to be seen. But for now, construction crews are already reshaping one of the most historic corners of the White House — a project that, once again, places Trump’s presidency at the center of a national debate over power, preservation, and precedent.
Originally reported by DARLENE SUPERVILLE.
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