Construction crews began tearing down part of the White House East Wing on Monday as work commenced on President Donald Trump’s long-promised $250 million “big, beautiful” ballroom.
“I am pleased to announce that ground has been broken on the White House grounds to build the new, big, beautiful White House Ballroom,” Trump posted on Truth Social. He added that the project was being privately funded by wealthy benefactors, not taxpayers.
Videos shared online showed heavy machinery ripping through the East Wing façade, marking one of the largest structural overhauls of the White House in decades.
“Completely separate from the White House itself, the East Wing is being fully modernised as part of this process, and will be more beautiful than ever when it is complete,” Trump wrote.
According to The New York Times, the 90,000-square-foot ballroom project is the most significant construction on the White House grounds since President Harry Truman’s West Wing expansion.
As reported by The Associated Press, the East Wing—traditionally the first lady’s office—is being torn down to make way for the new structure. Photos published by The Washington Post showed excavators demolishing walls and windows, while debris covered the grounds. Site preparation, including tree clearing, reportedly began in September.
The White House has claimed it does not need approval from the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) for demolition, only for new construction. The NCPC, responsible for approving major federal projects in Washington, is chaired by Will Scharf, who also serves as White House staff secretary and a senior aide to Trump.
Trump has said the ballroom will accommodate 999 guests, calling the existing East Room, used for official receptions, too small. The White House has projected that the ballroom will be completed before Trump’s current term ends in January 2029.
*With agency inputs
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