The East Wing of the White House was demolished to make way for Trump's ballroom
Trump says he will donate
The entire East Wing of the White House appears to have been demolished on Thursday, new images show, after the White House said President Donald Trump does not need to seek approval to tear it down.
The demolition of the East Wing, according to the White House official, extends directly to the edge of the residence and includes the demolition of the East Garden Room, the Family Theater, and the East Colonnade, as well as the office complex.
The sight of bulldozers tearing through the East Wing alerted preservationists, but the White House is redoubling its efforts, insisting the demolition is necessary.
While Trump initially said the project would not “interfere with the current building” and would be “close to it, but not touching it,” he explained Wednesday that “in order to do it properly, we had to tear down the existing structure.”
“Plans changed, and the president listened to the advice of architects and developers, who said that in order for this East Wing to be modern and beautiful for many years to come, to be a truly strong and stable structure, this Phase 1 that we're in now was necessary,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing Thursday.
“The president wants to do the right thing for the People's House," Leavitt he said. "The East Wing will be 'more beautiful and modern than ever,' Leavitt said. "In addition, it will feature a large and beautiful ballroom that will be able to host large parties and state visits for generations to come."
On Wednesday, Trump announced that the ballroom, which he said is being financed entirely by private funds, would cost $300 million, up from the $200 million initially cited by White House officials.
On Thursday, Trump reiterated that the price tag would be around $300 million and added that donations have exceeded their cost, estimating $350 million has been received to date.
The White House has also mentioned other presidents who have undertaken major construction projects at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and released a timeline of new construction.
The White House also reported that the project has garnered $200 million in donations so far and provided a list of donors.