WASHINGTON — A White House official confirmed Wednesday that the entire East Wing will be “modernized” to make way for President Donald Trump’s 90,000-square-foot ballroom, the largest structural change to the 55,000-square-foot Executive Residence in generations.
“The entirety of the East Wing will be rebuilt to reflect modern standards, while honoring classical design,” the official said during a press briefing.
Demolition work began earlier this week, with crews dismantling portions of the façade and interior. The East Wing currently houses key offices, including the first lady’s staff and the entrance to the underground Situation Room. Those functions will be temporarily relocated during construction.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wasted no time jumping into the fray — blasting Trump on X and accusing him of “destroying” the White House.
As ABC News reports:
“It’s not his house. It’s your house. And he’s destroying it,” Clinton wrote.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation sent a letter to White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf, whom Trump also appointed to head the National Capital Planning Commission, an executive branch agency that provides planning guidance and reviews development proposals, voicing concerns about the demolition and ballroom plan, calling for a pause.
“While the National Trust acknowledges the utility of a larger meeting space at the White House, we are deeply concerned that the massing and height of the proposed new construction will overwhelm the White House itself — it is 55,000 square feet — and may also permanently disrupt the carefully balanced classical design of the White House with its two smaller, and lower, East and West Wings,” wrote Dr. Carol Quillen, the trust’s president.
The nonprofit organization urged the administration “to pause demolition until plans for the proposed ballroom go through the legally required public review processes, including consultation and review by the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts, and to invite comment from the public.”
The planned ballroom — capable of seating up to 1,000 guests — will be used for state dinners, large diplomatic events, and public ceremonies. The project is privately funded and is expected to cost approximately $200 million.
Critics — including preservation groups and former White House staff — have voiced concerns about removing the historic addition, first built by Theodore Roosevelt and greatly expanded by FDR himself.
Some have been more hyperbolic than others.
However, the administration maintains that no formal federal approval is required for the demolition phase.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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