Crews razed the East Wing this week as the administration advances a 90,000-square-foot ballroom the White House says will be privately financed by corporate and individual donors. Preservation groups warn the loss of historic fabric will be hard to undo.
The East Wing of the White House was demolished this week to clear space for President Donald Trump’s planned ballroom, with Associated Press images and satellite photos confirming the structure’s removal. The project — the largest White House expansion in generations — is slated at roughly 90,000 square feet. The Washington Post reported crews tore down the wing in four days. (apnews.com)
Trump had previously said the addition would not touch the existing building. But after demolition began, he said a full teardown was needed, telling reporters the work had to be “done properly,” while aides emphasized a classical design led by architect James McCrery II. The Post notes the new venue is now expected to seat nearly 1,000, up from earlier estimates of about 650. (theguardian.com)
The East Wing historically housed the first lady’s offices, the social secretary and other staff, and served as the main entrance for public tours — which the White House website says are now suspended indefinitely. It also contained the small Family Theater. (washingtonpost.com)
Funding is coming from private donors. According to a donor list released by the White House and reported by Reuters and the Washington Post, contributors include major technology firms and wealthy individuals — among them Amazon, Apple, Google/YouTube, Meta, Microsoft, Palantir and Lockheed Martin, as well as donors like the Adelson Family Foundation, Stephen A. Schwarzman and the Winklevoss twins. Donations are being handled through the Trust for the National Mall. (reuters.com)
On NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday, senior political analyst Ron Elving said the demolition’s permanence resonated with many: “They knocked down the whole east wing … It’s not coming back,” adding that, for some, the teardown feels like “a metaphor for all that’s happening in Trump’s second term.” He also said Trump had cited architects and engineers in justifying the full demolition and described the funding as coming from Big Tech firms and Wall Street donors. (redriverradio.org)
Some of the material removed from the site has been trucked to Hains Point on East Potomac Park — including the public East Potomac Golf Links — while other loads went to area recycling facilities, according to on-the-ground reporting that tracked dump trucks from the White House. (washingtonpost.com)
The teardown has intensified a legal and preservation fight. The Guardian reported the administration had not filed formal construction plans with the National Capital Planning Commission even as demolition proceeded. The Associated Press noted that the NCPC and National Park Service — bodies that typically review such changes — were partially sidelined during a government shutdown, and that the National Trust for Historic Preservation warned the proposed massing could overwhelm the 55,000‑square‑foot Executive Residence and disrupt the White House’s classical balance. The White House argues demolition did not require prior commission approval and says permits for vertical construction will follow. (theguardian.com)
Costs have risen from an initial $200 million estimate to more than $300 million, with Trump and aides maintaining that taxpayers will not foot the bill. The administration says the project will be completed before the end of Trump’s term. (washingtonpost.com)