White House Staffers Couldn't Care Less About the East Wing Demolition

""Not affecting me at all, to be honest," a White House aide tells WIRED. This source, who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the press, adds they "have not thought about it" and that they've "probably only heard a handful of people talking about it." President Donald Trump is moving ahead on a multi-hundred-million-dollar, privately funded ballroom that would supplant the East Wing, which was added onto the White House in 1902 before undergoing an expansion in 1942."

"The East Wing of the White House is the traditional working home for first ladies and their staff, not to mention the site of a long line of historic events. This is ostensibly, where first lady Melania Trump's office would be. Even though the first lady has chosen to stay in New York full-time thus far in Trump 2.0, there were still several teams of staffers who were effectively evicted some time before the cranes started banging away on Monday."

"According to another White House official, the office of the first lady will move into the White House proper. Calligraphers-yes, there is evidently a team of decorative handwriters that had been operating out of the East Wing-the White House Military Office, the White House Visitors Office, and the Office of Legislative Affairs are all moving into the Eisenhower Executive Office Building across the street, according to the same official."

Demolition of the White House East Wing is underway during the government shutdown. A White House aide said the work is "not affecting me at all" and that only a handful of staffers have discussed it. The project is a multi-hundred-million-dollar, privately funded ballroom that would replace the East Wing, which dates to 1902 and expanded in 1942. The East Wing traditionally houses first ladies and their staff. Melania Trump's office would be located there, though she has remained in New York. Several staff teams were evicted before demolition. Some offices will move into the White House proper and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The first lady's spokesperson declined to comment.

Read at WIRED