JUST IN: Trump to Demolish Entire East Wing of the White House Despite Previous Pledge Not to Interfere With the Current Building'

"President Donald Trump's controversial ballroom construction will entail the demolition of the entire East Wing of the White House, according to a new report by The New York Times a far more extensive change to the historic property than he originally promised. The ballroom has been a pet project for the president, who boasted last month that it would be absolutely magnificent construction and one of the best anywhere in the world, but it has sparked significant controversy."

"Trump has said the ballroom will be funded by private donors; the specifics remain murky and the endeavor has raised ethical questions about conflicts of interest. Opponents of the project object to the lack of review and question why the plans were not submitted before work began. What critics find most troubling, however, is the expansive nature of the plans and the president's broken promise that the construction won't interfere with the current building and would be near [the East Wing] but not touching it."

"The White House has insisted that the National Capital Planning Commission, does not have the power to review demolition work, only construction, but that argument was lambasted by a former NCPC commissioner who told Reuters, demolition really cannot be separated from the new construction that follows. According to the Times' Luke Broadwater, a senior Trump administration official said that the White House would be demolishing the entirety of the East Wing to make way for the president's ballroom."

Construction of a presidential ballroom will require demolition of the entire East Wing of the White House, a far more extensive change than previously promised. The president promoted the project as privately funded and 'absolutely magnificent,' but funding specifics remain unclear and raise ethical conflict-of-interest concerns. Opponents object to lack of external review and to plans not being submitted before work began. Photographs and video show crews demolished the facade and a major section. The White House contends the National Capital Planning Commission cannot review demolition, but a former commissioner said demolition cannot be separated from subsequent construction. A senior official said demolition should finish by the weekend.

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