The White House has confirmed that former president Donald Trump is demolishing part of the official residence to build a new ballroom, contradicting his earlier claims that the project would not affect the East Wing.
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According to People, Trump’s ballroom project — valued at around $200 million — will completely replace the historic East Wing, which since 1977 has housed the First Lady’s office, a tradition started by Rosalynn Carter. The outlet also cites The New York Times, which confirmed the demolition through a senior government official who requested anonymity.
“President Trump is working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to make America great again, including through the historic beautification of the White House, at no cost to taxpayers,” said White House spokesperson Davis Ingle in a statement to People. He added that the improvements “will benefit generations of future presidents and American visitors to the People’s House.”
According to The Times, the new ballroom will feature gold chandeliers, an ornate coffered ceiling, Greek Corinthian columns, and arched windows on every wall — a grand aesthetic reflecting Trump’s personal style.
The East Wing, originally built in 1942 during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, has witnessed historic moments, including the 2007 meeting between former First Lady Laura Bush and Ibrahim Gambari, the United Nations special advisor for Burma.
Trump’s decision, however, has drawn criticism. Former First Lady Hillary Clinton publicly condemned the demolition, stating on X: “The house is not his. It’s yours. And he’s destroying it.” Along with her post, Clinton shared an image of an excavator demolishing part of the White House — the official residence of U.S. presidents since John Adams in 1800.
People noted that just one day before Clinton’s comment, Trump had announced on social media that “groundbreaking has begun on the grounds of the White House to build the new, grand, and beautiful White House Ballroom.” The former president said he was honored to fulfill a dream “more than 150 years old,” assuring that the project would come at “zero cost to taxpayers.”
Despite this, Trump had previously promised not to touch the historic structure. “It will have a view of the Washington Monument. It won’t interfere with the current building — it’ll be nearby, but won’t touch it,” he said, according to The Times.
As construction continues, Melania Trump and her staff have been temporarily relocated from the East Wing. Once completed, the new space is expected to reflect the former president’s signature style — luxurious, imposing, and inevitably controversial.
Source: People | The White House. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
