White House East Wing demolition begins for privately funded ballroom

Construction crews began tearing down part of the White House East Wing on Monday to clear space for a privately funded ballroom President Donald Trump has proposed, photographs and video circulated this week show. Witnesses on the White House campus reported seeing a backhoe and other equipment at work, with audible demolition and clusters of staff and onlookers observing the activity.

The planned addition is described by the White House as a 90,000 square foot event space intended to host state dinners and other large formal gatherings. The administration has said the project will be privately financed, with the president contributing personally and additional funding provided by donors. Cost estimates reported by officials and planning documents center near 250 million dollars, and the administration has set a target completion date before the end of a second presidential term in January 2029.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the necessary construction will modernize the East Wing. The president has described the ballroom as filling a long-standing gap in the White House complex, saying it would allow future administrations to hold larger events on the...