The White House starts demolishing part of the East Wing to build Trump’s ballroom
Oct 20, 2025, 1:37 PM | Updated: 2:50 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday started tearing down part of the East Wing, the traditional base of operations for the first lady, to build President Donald Trump’s ballroom.
The Washington Post shared dramatic photos of the demolition work on its website showing a backhoe tearing through the East Wing façade and windows and other building parts in tatters on the ground. Some reporters watched from a park near the Treasury Department, which is next door to the East Wing.
The clearing of trees and other site preparation work started in September.
The White House insists it does not need approval from the National Capital Planning Commission for the demolition work, only for new construction. The commission is responsible for approving construction work and major renovations to government buildings in the Washington area. Its chairman is Will Scharf, who also is the White House staff secretary and a top aide to Trump.
The commission has not approved the construction and it was unclear whether the White House had submitted the ballroom plans to the agency. The commission’s offices are closed because of the government shutdown.
The Republican president has said he’s adding a massive a 90,000-square-foot ballroom because the East Room, which is the largest room in the White House with an approximately 200-person capacity, is too small and he does not like the idea of hosting events in pavilions on the South Lawn.
The ballroom will fit 999 people, Trump said last week.
The White House has said it will be completed before his term ends in January 2029.
