United States President Donald Trump has ordered the demolition of part of the White House’s East Wing to make room for a new $250 million ballroom.
Construction crews were seen on Monday tearing down sections of the building, leaving behind piles of broken bricks and steel rods. The East Wing, which traditionally houses the offices of US First Ladies, will be rebuilt as part of the project.
Speaking at the White House during a reception for college baseball players, Trump said, “Right on the other side you have a lot of construction that you might hear occasionally.”
Later, he confirmed on his Truth Social platform that the new ballroom will be the biggest addition to the presidential residence in more than a century. “I am pleased to announce that ground has been broken on the White House grounds to build the new, big, beautiful White House Ballroom,” he said.
According to him, the East Wing is being “fully modernized” and “will be more beautiful than ever when it is complete.”
Trump said the ballroom, covering about 90,000 square feet with a capacity of 1,000 guests, will host large state dinners and events that previously required tents.
The president added that the project would be “privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly.”
Last week, Trump hosted a dinner for donors supporting the ballroom’s construction. The event drew top executives from major tech and defense companies including Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Palantir, and Lockheed Martin.
Twin entrepreneurs Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, founders of the crypto platform Gemini, were also among the guests.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has launched several major redesigns of the White House, from gold-themed decorations in the Oval Office to a redesigned Rose Garden.
He has also announced plans to build a giant triumphal arch in Washington, which critics have nicknamed the “Arc de Trump.”
