Updated October 20, 2025 at 9:12 p.m. EDT
WASHINGTON – The White House on Monday began demolishing part of the East Wing, the first lady's traditional base of operations, to build President Trump's $250 million ballroom, even though the federal agency responsible for such projects has not issued a building permit.
Dramatic photos of the demolition work showed how construction equipment smashed into the facade of the east wing and windows and other parts of the building lay in shreds on the ground. Some reporters watched from a park near the Treasury Department, which is adjacent to the East Wing.
Trump announced the start of construction in a social media post, referencing the work while hosting 2025 college baseball champions Louisiana State University and LSU-Shreveport in the East Room. He noted that the work was taking place “right behind us.”
“We have a lot of construction going on, which you might hear from time to time,” he said, adding, “It just started today.”
The White House has moved forward with the massive construction project even though the National Capital Planning Commission, which approves construction and major renovations to government buildings in the Washington area, has not yet issued approval.
Its chairman, Will Scharf, who is also White House staff secretary and one of Trump's top advisers, said at the commission's September meeting that the agency is not responsible for demolition or site preparation work for buildings on federal land.
“We’re essentially dealing with construction, vertical building,” Scharf said last month.
It was unclear whether the White House had submitted the ballroom plans for the agency's review and approval. The White House did not respond to a request for comment and the commission's offices are closed due to the government shutdown.
The Republican president said in July when announcing the project that the ballroom would not impact the mansion itself.
“It will be close to the building but not touching it and will show complete respect to the existing building, which I am the biggest fan of,” he said of the White House.
The East Wing houses several offices, including that of the First Lady. According to the White House, it was built in 1902 and renovated over the years, adding a second floor in 1942.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said those East Wing offices will be temporarily relocated during construction and that wing of the building will be modernized and renovated.
“Nothing will be demolished,” Leavitt said when she announced the project in July.
Trump insists that presidents have wanted a ballroom like this for 150 years and that he is adding the massive, 90,000-square-foot, glass-walled room because the East Room, the largest room in the White House with a capacity for about 200 people, is too small. He has also said he doesn't like the idea of hosting kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers in pavilions on the South Lawn.
Trump said in the social media announcement that the project would be completed “at no cost to the American taxpayer!” The White House Ballroom is privately funded by many generous patriots, major American corporations and, yours truly.
The ballroom will represent the largest structural change to the Executive Mansion since the addition of the Truman Balcony overlooking the South Lawn in 1948, dwarfing even the residence itself.
At a dinner he hosted last week for some of the wealthy business leaders who are donating money toward the $250 million construction cost, Trump said the project had grown larger and would now house 999 people. Capacity was 650 seats when announced in July.
The White House has said it will release information about who donated money to build the ballroom, but has not yet done so.
Trump also said at the event last week that the head of Carrier Global Corp., a leading manufacturer of heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment, had offered to donate the air conditioning system for the ballroom.
Carrier confirmed this to The Associated Press on Monday. A cost estimate was not immediately available.
“Carrier is honored to equip the new iconic White House Ballroom with a world-class, energy-efficient HVAC system that will continue to provide comfort to distinguished guests and dignitaries in this historic setting for years to come,” the company said in an emailed statement.
Tree clearing on the southern site and other site preparation work began in September. The ballroom is scheduled to be completed before Trump's term ends in January 2029.
Copyright 2025 NPR
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