Today's News: Entire White House East Wing Demolished for a New Ballroom

This move, a significant expansion from initial plans, has sparked widespread controversy among preservationists, historians, and politicians, who criticize the lack of traditional public oversight.

Terrence Dorsey

Oct 22, 2025

Photo: Salwan Georges/The Washington Post

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Date: October 22, 2025
Summary: President Donald Trump initiated the demolition of the White House East Wing to construct a new, privately funded ballroom. This move, a significant expansion from initial plans, has sparked widespread controversy among preservationists, historians, and politicians, who criticize the lack of traditional public review processes, the scale of the project, and the perceived disregard for the historic building. The White House defends the project as a necessary modernization and a continuation of presidential legacies, while Trump has raised the estimated cost and capacity multiple times, affirming it will be paid for by private donations and his own funds.

Sources

Key Points

President Trump is overseeing the demolition of the White House East Wing to build a new, larger ballroom, a project he has personally prioritized.
The project’s scope has expanded significantly from initial assurances that it would not interfere with the existing building, now involving the complete demolition of the East Wing.
The White House asserts the project is privately funded by donations and Trump’s own money, with costs escalating from an initial $200 million to $300 million.
Architectural and historic preservation groups, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Society of Architectural Historians, and the American Institute of Architects, have criticized the lack of traditional public review processes and consultation.
The White House argues it is exempt from standard review processes for demolition and that plans for vertical construction will be submitted later to the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC).
Critics, including politicians and historians, express outrage over the demolition of a historic structure, viewing it as an unprecedented alteration to “The People’s House” and a disregard for established norms.
The administration defends the project as a “modernization” and a continuation of past presidential renovations, calling the criticism “manufactured outrage.”

Unique Highlights

CNN highlights Trump’s giddiness over the lack of red tape, the Treasury Department’s instruction to employees not to share demolition photos, and details specific criticisms from the National Trust for Historic Preservation (requesting a pause), the Society of Architectural Historians (expressing “great concern”), and the American Institute of Architects (urging transparency and rigorous architect search).
CNN also notes the 1942 East Wing addition by Franklin D. Roosevelt and the criticisms it faced.
NBC News mentions that “all the historical components” of the East Wing, such as elements from Rosalynn Carter’s original Office of the First Lady, have been preserved and stored. It identifies the Trust for the National Mall as overseeing private donations and names Comcast Corp. and Alphabet (YouTube) as significant donors.
The Washington Post provides YouGov polling data showing 53% opposition to the demolition. It quotes Rebecca Miller of the D.C. Preservation League explaining the White House’s exemption from the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. It details the composition of the NCPC, noting it is now led by a majority of Trump allies, and discusses the leadership vacuum at the Commission of Fine Arts due to Billie Tsien’s resignation. It also mentions Sara Bronin’s argument for potential lawsuits via the National Park Service’s involvement and highlights Trump’s past actions as a New York developer (Bonwit Teller demolition).
The Washington Post also specifically mentions Trump’s description of a “glass bridge” connecting the new ballroom to the main White House structure and his assertion that “the military” is closely involved in the project.
The Wall Street Journal notes that Trump decided to tear down the East Wing after consulting with architects and that photos of the demolition went viral online.
Fox News uniquely focuses on conservative and Trump supporter responses to Hillary Clinton’s criticism, mocking her with references to the 2001 furniture scandal, the Lincoln Bedroom controversy, and Bill Clinton’s sex scandal. It quotes several individuals like Ted Cruz, Eric Trump, and various conservative commentators.
The Guardian includes White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s defense of Trump as the “builder-in-chief” and mentions late-night host Stephen Colbert’s critical reaction to Trump’s changed statements.
The New York Times details that the decision to demolish was partly because it was deemed “cheaper and more structurally sound” than building an addition. It notes that the Secret Service kept onlookers away during the demolition and mentions that the East Wing had previously concealed the Presidential Emergency Operations Center (bunker), with the new structure planned to have enhanced security features. It also names Clark Construction and AECOM as part of the construction and engineering teams.

Contrasting Details

Project Cost: Initial estimates for the ballroom project varied. CNN, The Guardian, and The Washington Post initially reported the cost as $200 million. However, NBC News, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times later reported Trump raising the estimate to $250 million and then to $300 million.
Ballroom Capacity: The initial estimated capacity for the ballroom was around 650 guests, as stated by CNN, The Washington Post, and Fox News. However, CNN, The Washington Post, and The New York Times later report Trump saying it would be “a little bigger” or seat “nearly 1,000” or “999” people.
Trump’s Initial Statements vs. Demolition: President Trump initially stated the project “won’t interfere with the current building” and would be “near it but not touching it” (CNN, NBC News, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, The New York Times). This directly contrasts with the reality confirmed by all articles that the “entire East Wing” is being demolished or torn down.
Review Process Requirement: The White House, as reported by NBC News and The Guardian, claims it hasn’t been required to submit plans for review by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) because only demolition has begun, not technically construction. However, preservation groups like the National Trust for Historic Preservation (CNN, NBC News, The Washington Post, The Guardian) and the Society of Architectural Historians (CNN, NBC News) argue that demolition plans are “legally required” to go through public review. Former NCPC chairman L. Preston Bryant Jr. also stated in The Washington Post that agencies traditionally held off on all work, including demolition, until final commission approval.
East Wing’s Significance: Trump dismissed the East Wing as “never thought of as being much” and “a very small building” (The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, The New York Times). This perspective contrasts with its historical role as outlined in NBC News and The New York Times, which highlight its use by the first lady and her staff, ceremonial purposes, and its function in concealing the Presidential Emergency Operations Center (bunker).

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