The White House confirms the demolition of the entire East Wing to build a new ballroom.
The Trump administration has confirmed that the entire East Wing of the White House will be demolished to make way for a new ballroom. This decision, which differs from initial commitments, is drawing criticism and raising questions about federal oversight procedures.
According to Reuters, demolition workers began work on October 21st in the East Wing, where the First Lady's office and staff are located. However, the full scale of the demolition was not confirmed until October 22nd.
"To get it right, we have to dismantle the existing structure," President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on October 22. A government official said the demolition process could be completed within the next two weeks. "We can confirm that the entire East Wing will be modernized and renovated to... support the ballroom project," the official said.
The partial demolition of one of the United States' most historic buildings has drawn criticism from many Democrats and historians. The most recent version of the East Wing was built in 1942 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. While U.S. presidents throughout history have renovated and added to the White House, Trump's changes are considered the most significant in decades.
The White House responded to the criticism, calling it "a fabricated outrage."
One contentious issue is whether the Trump administration complied with oversight procedures. On October 21, the White House announced it would submit plans for the ballroom construction to the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) for review – despite the fact that demolition had already begun.
Notably, the chairman of the NCPC is Will Scharf, White House staff secretary and an aide to Mr. Trump.
Speaking to Reuters, Scharf said he was not involved in the "planning process" for the White House ballroom and would be "objective" when the plan was presented to the committee.
"Do I have the ability to vote, as an NCPC commissioner, separate from my duties at the White House? Yes, absolutely. If I don't like a project, I will vote against it," Scharf said.
Scharf also argued that the NCPC is responsible for overseeing construction, not demolition. However, Bryan Green, a former NCPC commissioner under President Joe Biden, argued that demolition and new construction should be closely linked and considered as part of the overall project.
President Trump said on October 22 that the project would cost $300 million, an increase from the initial $200 million figure announced in July.
He asserted that he and private sponsors were paying for the ballroom, but has yet to release full financial details.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation (NCPC) on October 21st requested that the Trump administration halt demolition until the NCPC completes its assessment. The organization expressed concern that the proposed ballroom, approximately 8,360 square meters in size, is a cause for concern.2"It will overshadow the White House itself."
However, efforts to stop the project may be difficult because much of the East Wing has already been demolished.
