The historic East Wing of the White House was reduced to rubble on Monday as the demolition began to pave the way for President Donald Trump’s opulent new ballroom, valued at $250 million. The scene was captured in a series of photographs by the Daily Mail, showing heavy machinery tearing into the iconic structure that has stood as part of the White House for over a hundred years.
Throughout the day, the sound of banging and crashing resonated through the area, drawing the attention of staffers and journalists who gathered to witness the construction equipment dismantling the walls. This dramatic transformation marks the beginning of a significant alteration to the White House complex.
Originally, when the ballroom project was announced, President Trump and White House officials had assured the public that a portion of the East Wing would be preserved. “It won’t interfere with the current building,” President Trump had stated, emphasizing that the new construction would respect the existing structure. “It’ll be near it, but not touching it, and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of. It’s my favorite,” he had claimed.
However, as the demolition commenced, questions arose about the fate of the East Wing. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt faced inquiries head-on regarding whether the East Wing would indeed be demolished, following the initial promises of preservation.
‘It won’t interfere with the current building,’ the president said at the time. ‘It’ll be near it, but not touching it and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of. It’s my favorite.’
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked point-blank if the East Wing would be demolished when the plans were rolled out.
She said the ‘necessary construction will take place’ and the East Wing will be ‘modernized.’
Trump announced in July plans to build a grand, 25,000 square feet ballroom to accommodate state dinners and other formal events.
Photos on Monday showed a backhoe ripping into the once-pristine structure that has formed part of the White House complex for more than a century
Banging and crashing was heard throughout the area as clusters of staffers and journalists watched construction vehicles tearing lumps out of the walls
Renderings show a lavish design – crystal chandeliers, gilded columns and gold inlays – reflecting the opulent aesthetic of the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort.
The new ballroom is supposed to be privately funded, with Trump chipping in himself.
Donors include Silicon Valley titans, Apple and Google, defense behemoth Lockheed Martin, and telecom provider, T-Mobile.
The East Wing in its original form was constructed in 1902 during President Theodore Roosevelt’s tenure, initially as a small structure that served as the public entrance.
It has since been expanded and modified, notably with the addition of a second story in 1942 to provide offices for First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and her staff.
Trump last week held a glitzy White House dinner with billionaires and company executives who are bankrolling the ballroom.
Among the guests were oil baron Harold Hamm, Blackstone chief executive Steve Schwarzman, and Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss.
‘We’re here to celebrate you, because you have given a tremendous amount of money to see a ballroom built,’ he told the cheering crowd on Wednesday.
‘In between China, Russia, everything else that we deal with, it’s going to be a great ballroom… It is starting right behind us.’
Trump opened the gold curtains behind him to unveil the construction site.
‘It will be demolished,’ he said. ‘Everything out there is coming down and it will be replaced by the most beautiful ballroom.’
On Monday, once construction started, the gold curtains in the East Room remained closed to drown out any noise, but the president referenced the project as he hosted two Louisiana State teams at the White House.
He said the East Room’s primary east-facing window would serve as a ‘knockout panel,’ and transform into the entry-way for the ‘most beautiful ballroom in the country.’
The ballroom is expected to have a capacity of 1,000 people and will be fitted with bulletproof glass.
The White House ballroom’s designs are similar to those found at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate and his former hotel in Washington, DC
The White House released visuals of the new ballroom back in July. The current East Wing of the White House will be ‘modernized’ and 90,000 square feet of new space
‘There won’t be anything like it,’ he said. ‘Because of you, they’re going to get it. And me too. So many of you have been really, really generous.’
Trump shared an anecdote of one of the donors in the room asking him ‘sir, will $25 million be appropriate?’
‘I’ll take it. It doesn’t take too many 25s [million dollars] to get it done.’
He said the donors had been so generous that he had ‘money left over’ which could be put toward the arch he wants to build opposite Arlington National Cemetery.
Trump wanted to construct a White House ballroom as far back as 2010, originally making the pitch to President Barack Obama’s adviser David Axelrod.
The president didn’t like the look of the pop-up tents that First Lady Michelle Obama was using to host White House state dinners on the South Lawn.
Since taking office, Trump has redecorated the Rose Garden, Oval Office and is in the process of renovating the Palm Room.
