Demolition continued Wednesday on the White Home to make approach for President Donald Trump’s $250 million ballroom, however the renovation is much extra in depth than he has let on.
Whereas Trump had stated again in July that the ballroom wouldn’t “intrude” with the prevailing constructing — can be “close to it however not touching it” — a White Home official confirmed to ABC Information that the “entirety of the East Wing will probably be modernized.”
The extent of the demolition was first reported by The Washington Post, which revealed new images on Tuesday exhibiting bulldozers razing a lot of the East Wing — what had been dwelling to the primary girl’s workplace, the White Home navy workplace and extra.
The next, seven-foot fence was seen Wednesday across the East Wing web site, serving to to dam the demolition from public view.
Work continues on the demolition of part of the East Wing of the White Home, Oct. 21, 2025, in Washington, earlier than development of a brand new ballroom.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
A White Home official stated the East Wing was being “modernized” from its 1902 and 1942 constructions to assist the ballroom venture and the longer term dwelling of the East Wing. The scope and dimension of the venture, the official stated, has all the time been topic to alter as the method developed.
The Workplace of the First Woman and different East Wing elements have been relocated on the White Home complicated throughout the White Home and Eisenhower Government Workplace Constructing, based on a White Home official. The primary girl’s workplace and employees had been moved out of the world over a month in the past forward of the demolition, a White Home official confirmed to ABC Information.
Trump has lengthy wished to construct a ballroom on the White Home akin to that at his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida. Mock-ups for the 90,000-square foot ballroom had been unveiled this summer time, and Trump stated the construct can be paid for by him and unidentified donors. The administration has stated little since about who precisely is funding the venture, sparking moral and authorized questions.
Trump indicated earlier this week that after the venture is completed, individuals would be capable to stroll straight from the White Home East Room into the ballroom, suggesting the development will contact the precise White Home — one thing Trump himself had beforehand stated wouldn’t occur.
A window dangles from the East Wing as work continues on the demolition of part of the East Wing of the White Home, Oct. 21, 2025, in Washington, earlier than development of a brand new ballroom.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
The facade of the East Wing of the White Home is demolished by work crews, October 22, 2025 in Washington.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Photographs
The development this week kicked off a torrent of criticism.
Former first girl Hillary Clinton weighed in on Tuesday, writing on X that Trump is “destroying” the White Home.
“It’s not his home. It’s your own home. And he’s destroying it,” Clinton wrote.
The Nationwide Belief for Historic Preservation despatched a letter to White Home Workers Secretary Will Scharf, whom Trump additionally appointed to go the Nationwide Capital Planning Fee, an govt department company that gives planning steerage and critiques improvement proposals, voicing issues in regards to the demolition and ballroom plan, calling for a pause.
The White Home East Wing Reworking
Google Earth
“Whereas the Nationwide Belief acknowledges the utility of a bigger assembly house on the White Home, we’re deeply involved that the massing and top of the proposed new development will overwhelm the White Home itself — it’s 55,000 sq. ft — and may completely disrupt the rigorously balanced classical design of the White Home with its two smaller, and decrease, East and West Wings,” wrote Dr. Carol Quillen, the belief’s president.
The nonprofit group urged the administration “to pause demolition till plans for the proposed ballroom undergo the legally required public evaluation processes, together with session and evaluation by the Nationwide Capital Planning Fee and the Fee of Effective Arts, and to ask remark from the general public.”
Plans for the ballroom haven’t but been submitted to the Nationwide Capital Planning Fee, regardless of demolition being already underway. White Home official confirmed to ABC Information that the White Home nonetheless intends to submit plans for the construct to the fee.
Individuals watch from exterior a safety fence as demolition continues on the East Wing of the White Home, Oct. 22, 2025, in Washington.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
The White Home Historic Affiliation stated it “ supported the preservation of East Wing historical past by way of a complete digital scanning venture and images to create an historic document. The East Wing and gardens have been captured intimately for the good thing about our nation and historic artifacts from the East Wing have been preserved and saved.”
A White Home official stated “all of the historic elements of the East Wing … have been preserved and saved underneath the supervision of the White Home Government Residence and the Nationwide Park Service with assist from the White Home Historic Affiliation. Plans are in place for future use.”
Crews demolish the East Wing of the White Home as development begins on President Trump’s White Home ballroom, in Washington, October 22, 2025.
Aaron Schwartz/EPA/Shutterstock
The facade of the East Wing of the White Home is demolished by work crews, October 22, 2025 in Washington.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Photographs
The White Home on Tuesday defended the renovations and the development of the brand new ballroom in a prolonged press launch stating the venture is “a daring, crucial addition that echoes the storied historical past of enhancements and additions from commanders-in-chief to maintain the manager residence as a beacon of American excellence.”
White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt, showing on Fox Information “Jesse Watters Primetime” on Tuesday, referred to as the backlash “faux outrage” and stated presidents previous have additionally made modifications to the White Home.
“He’s the builder-in-chief, largely he was elected again to this Individuals’s Home as a result of he’s good at constructing issues. He has carried out it his whole life, his whole profession,” Leavitt stated. “And development is a course of. On the finish, the East Wing which is a completely separate construction from the Government Mansion you see behind me, will probably be extra trendy and delightful than ever. After which on high of that, the White Home goes to have a giant, lovely ballroom for generations of People to return.”
However based on a report from the Wall Street Journal, the Treasury Division (positioned subsequent to the renovation web site) has instructed workers to not share photographs of the demolition.
Trump, internet hosting Senate Republicans for lunch on Tuesday at his newly-renovated Rose Backyard Membership, celebrated the ballroom construct.
“You most likely hear the attractive sound of development within the again. You hear that? Oh, that’s music to my ears,” Trump stated. “I really like that sound. Different individuals do not prefer it, I like it.”
ABC Information’ Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this report.
