Demolition begins at White House to replace East Wing with Trump ballroom

"Demolition of the White House East Wing began Monday as President Donald Trump adds a $200 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom. CNN observed an excavator tearing down portions of the East Wing, and close-up video and images captured areas of the roof torn down and an excavator tearing through the interior. Renderings released earlier by the White House showed that the ballroom, which the administration has said will be funded by Trump and other private donors, would be built over this area."

"Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said over the summer that the state ballroom would occupy space housing the East Wing of the executive mansion, where first ladies have traditionally maintained offices. The project fulfills a 15-year ambition by the president to construct an event space on the White House grounds that expands the building's entertaining capacity but also resembles the gilded spaces of his private clubs."

"I am pleased to announce that ground has been broken on the White House grounds to build the new, big, beautiful White House Ballroom, Trump posted on social media Monday evening. Completely separate from the White House itself, the East Wing is being fully modernized as part of this process, and will be more beautiful than ever when it is complete!"

Demolition of the White House East Wing began to make way for a privately funded $200 million, 90,000-square-foot state ballroom. The ballroom will be constructed over space that previously housed parts of the East Wing, including areas where first ladies have traditionally maintained offices. Funding is expected from President Trump and other private donors. The project fulfills a long-standing presidential ambition to expand on-site entertaining capacity and to introduce design elements resembling the gilded interiors of private clubs. The East Wing will be fully modernized during construction. Broader changes to the grounds have included added flagpoles, paving of the Rose Garden, and gold decoration in the Oval Office.

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