Demolition crews have descended on the White House East Wing in a flurry of activity, marking a dramatic new chapter in the building’s storied history. As of Wednesday, October 22, 2025, the entire East Wing—long home to the first lady’s offices and a host of other White House functions—is being razed to make way for a $300 million ballroom, a project championed by President Donald Trump. According to ABC News, this sweeping renovation is far more extensive than initially suggested by the president, who had previously assured the public that the new structure would not interfere with the existing building.
Construction trucks have been a common sight around the White House grounds this week, their movements shielded from public view by a newly erected seven-foot fence. The demolition, which began on Monday, October 20, is expected to be completed as soon as the weekend of October 25–26, according to several sources familiar with the project. The New York Times was among the first to report on the scale of the development, which has since been confirmed by multiple outlets including BBC and ABC News.
The East Wing, originally built in 1902 and last significantly modified in 1942, has served as a vital—if sometimes underappreciated—part of the White House complex. It housed not only the first lady’s office but also the graphics and calligraphy departments, social offices, and even a bomb shelter. But as President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office this week, “In order to do it properly, we had to take down the existing structure.” He explained, “We determined that, after really a tremendous amount of study with some of the best architects in the world, we determined that really knocking it down, trying to use a little section, you know, the East Wing was not much. It was not much left from the original.”
This rhetoric marks a significant departure from Trump’s earlier statements. Back in July, he had assured the public that the proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom “won’t interfere with the current building. It’ll be near it but not touching it.” He also said the addition would “pay total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of.” Yet, as the project advanced, it became clear that the East Wing would have to be demolished entirely, a change Trump attributed to the advice of top architects and the evolving scope of the project.
Funding for the ballroom, which has ballooned from an initial estimate of $200 million to $300 million, is said to come from Trump himself and a group of unidentified donors. The project’s financing has sparked ethical and legal questions, as the administration has remained tight-lipped about the identities of these contributors. Trump, for his part, insists the project is “being fully funded by Trump and some friends of mine—donors,” with some involvement from the military, according to BBC reporting.
The White House insists that the project is a bold and necessary addition, echoing the tradition of past presidents who have made their own marks on the executive residence. In a lengthy press release, officials described the ballroom as “a bold, necessary addition that echoes the storied history of improvements and additions from commanders-in-chief to keep the executive residence as a beacon of American excellence.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, appearing on Fox News, called the public backlash “fake outrage,” adding, “He is the builder-in-chief, in large part he was elected back to this People’s House because he is good at building things. He has done it his entire life, his entire career.”
Not everyone is convinced. The demolition has kicked up a storm of criticism from preservationists, political opponents, and even former first lady Hillary Clinton. On X (formerly Twitter), Clinton wrote, “It’s not his house. It’s your house. And he’s destroying it.” The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a respected Washington nonprofit, sent a letter to White House officials urging a pause in the demolition and calling for a public review process. Dr. Carol Quillen, the trust’s president, cautioned, “While the National Trust acknowledges the utility of a larger meeting space at the White House, we are deeply concerned that the massing and height of the proposed new construction will overwhelm the White House itself—and may also permanently disrupt the carefully balanced classical design of the White House with its two smaller, and lower, East and West Wings.”
The Trust’s letter emphasized the need for the project to go through the legally required public review processes, including consultation and review by the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts, and to invite comment from the public. As of Wednesday, plans for the ballroom had not yet been formally submitted to the National Capital Planning Commission, even as demolition proceeded apace. Nonetheless, a White House official confirmed to ABC News that the administration still intends to submit the necessary plans.
Amid the controversy, the White House Historical Association has worked to preserve the legacy of the East Wing. According to the Association, “The East Wing and gardens have been captured in detail for the benefit of our nation and historic artifacts from the East Wing have been preserved and stored.” These efforts, supported by the White House Executive Residence and the National Park Service, ensure that the history of the demolished wing will not be lost to future generations.
Practical concerns have also surfaced. The first lady’s office and other East Wing components were relocated within the White House and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building over a month before demolition began, a White House official told ABC News. Meanwhile, the Treasury Department, located adjacent to the renovation site, has reportedly instructed employees not to share photos of the demolition, according to the Wall Street Journal.
For Trump, the project seems deeply personal. He has long expressed a desire to build a ballroom at the White House akin to the one at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. During a luncheon with Senate Republicans at his newly renovated Rose Garden Club, he celebrated the ongoing construction, saying, “You probably hear the beautiful sound of construction in the back. You hear that? Oh, that’s music to my ears. I love that sound. Other people don’t like it, I love it.”
Looking ahead, the new ballroom is expected to be completed before Trump leaves office in 2029. Once finished, it will allow guests to walk directly from the White House East Room into the ballroom—an architectural statement that, for better or worse, will forever alter the landscape of America’s most famous residence.
Amid the dust and debate, the East Wing’s transformation stands as a testament to the evolving nature of the presidency and the building that houses it. Only time will tell how this latest chapter will be judged by history.
