The East Wing of the White House is being demolished to make way for Trump’s ballroom

According to recent statements from US President Donald Trump, almost the entire east wing of the historic building will have to give way for a new ballroom in the White House. Trump said this at a press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Washington. According to Trump’s earlier statements, this part of the White House was only supposed to be modernized as part of the construction work. Critics are now accusing him of breaking his word. The demolition work had already started on Monday. According to media reports, it should be completed in the coming days.

Monument and civil rights organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation accuse Trump of interfering with the historic ensemble without appropriate approval procedures and are calling for a halt to construction until the project has been examined by the relevant federal commissions. According to US media, Trump’s government points out that the president does not need formal approval for structural changes to the residence. However, previous presidents often had major renovations voluntarily examined by the responsible commissions.

The hall, which according to Trump will now cost around 300 million dollars (around 275 million euros), will have space for around 1,000 guests. The project will be financed exclusively through donations – from “generous patriots, great American companies and myself,” as the president wrote on Truth Social. It is not yet known who the donors are. Thanks to private financing, construction is not subject to congressional oversight.

The approximately 8,000 square meter ballroom will be connected to the main building via a lobby and a bridge, Trump said. “We had to demolish the existing building to do it right,” he explained. Parts of the foundations and “certain areas” would be retained, but he did not want to allow what he considered to be a not particularly beautiful east wing to have a negative impact on his new “expensive, beautiful building.”

Trump emphasized in July that the ballroom would not touch the White House. In a post on Monday, he wrote that the east wing would be “modernized” as part of the project. On Wednesday, Trump denied the allegations and said again: “We’re not touching the White House.” He added: “Many presidents have made changes – this one suits the White House wonderfully.” The desire for a large room for receptions and state banquets has existed for over 150 years, and the east wing was no longer in its original condition anyway.

According to the White House, the ballroom will retain the neoclassical style of the presidential residence. Designs show a banquet hall with gilded Corinthian columns, crystal chandeliers and a black and white checkered marble floor. According to US media, Trump’s spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt described the criticism as “artificial outrage”.

The east wing, which traditionally housed the First Lady’s offices, was built in 1942 and has been renovated several times. According to the White House, all historical elements have been documented and stored. The White House Historical Association said the wing was extensively digitally scanned before its demolition to create a historical archive.

The project is part of a series of renovations that Trump is making to remodel the government headquarters to his liking, including large flagpoles, a newly paved rose garden and gold-colored decorations in the Oval Office. Work on the ballroom is expected to be completed before the end of Trump’s second term in January 2029.