WASHINGTON — On Monday, the White House began dismantling sections of the East Wing, traditionally the first lady’s domain, to make way for President Donald Trump’s $250 million ballroom. This move comes even without the necessary green light from the federal agency responsible for approving such developments.

Stunning images captured the dramatic demolition, with heavy machinery ripping apart the East Wing’s façade and debris scattered across the grounds. Some journalists observed the scene from a nearby park adjacent to the Treasury Department, which lies next to the East Wing.

Trump revealed the commencement of the construction on social media and mentioned it while welcoming the 2025 college baseball champions, Louisiana State University and LSU-Shreveport, in the East Room, pointing out that the work was occurring “right behind us.”

“There’s a significant amount of construction underway, which you might hear from time to time,” he remarked, adding, “It just began today.”

Despite the absence of approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, the White House has proceeded with this major construction project. The commission is tasked with authorizing construction and significant renovations to government structures within the Washington area.

Its chairman, Will Scharf, who is also the White House staff secretary and one of Trump’s top aides, said at the commission’s September meeting that agency does not have jurisdiction over demolition or site preparation work for buildings on federal property.

“What we deal with is essentially construction, vertical build,” Scharf said last month.

It was unclear whether the White House had submitted the ballroom plans for the agency’s review and approval. The White House did not respond to a request for comment and the commission’s offices are closed because of the government shutdown.

The Republican president had said in July when the project was announced that the ballroom would not interfere with the mansion itself.

“It’ll be near it but not touching it and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of,” he said of the White House.

The East Wing houses several offices, including those of the first lady. It was built in 1902 and and has been renovated over the years, with a second story added in 1942, according to the White House.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said those East Wing offices will be temporarily relocated during construction and that wing of the building will be modernized and renovated.

“Nothing will be torn down,” Leavitt said when she announced the project in July.

Trump insists that presidents have desired such a ballroom for 150 years and that he’s adding the massive 90,000-square-foot, glass-walled space because the East Room, which is the largest room in the White House with an approximately 200-person capacity, is too small. He also has said he does not like the idea of hosting kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers in pavilions on the South Lawn.

Trump said in the social media announcement that the project would be completed “with zero cost to the American Taxpayer! The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly.”

The ballroom will be the biggest structural change to the Executive Mansion since the addition in 1948 of the Truman Balcony overlooking the South Lawn, even dwarfing the residence itself.

At a dinner he hosted last week for some of the wealthy business executives who are donating money toward the $250 million construction cost, Trump said the project had grown in size and now will accommodate 999 people. The capacity was 650 seated people at the July announcement.

The White House has said it will disclose information on who has contributed money to build the ballroom, but has yet to do so.

The clearing of trees on the south grounds and other site preparation work started in September. Plans call for the ballroom to be ready before Trump’s term ends in January 2029.

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