Trump’s East Wing Demolition Much More Extensive Than He Suggested

President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom construction plan is much more extensive than he has publicly announced — and reportedly includes demolishing the entire East Wing.

In remarks to reporters Wednesday afternoon, Trump confirmed the extensive demolition plans, first reported by The New York Times.

“In order to do it properly, we had to take down the existing structure,” Trump said.

“You know, the East Wing was not much,” Trump said. “There was a story added on which was not particularly nice, and the building was very, very much changed from what it was originally. It was never thought of as being much.”

A White House official told NOTUS that the East Wing was being “modernized” to “support the project and the future home of the East Wing.”

When the plans were first announced, Trump said the building wouldn’t be disturbed.

“It won’t interfere with the current building,” Trump said in July. “It’ll be near it but not touching it — and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of.”

But on Wednesday, machines could be seen taking down a large portion of the structure, which has long served as the office of the first lady and is connected to the Executive Residence.

“The scope and size of the project has always been subject to vary as the process developed,” the official said.

Trump is not the first person to make major changes to the White House — but the size and circumstances of the renovation are unprecedented.

The ballroom is expected to be 60,000 square feet, capable of accommodating hundreds of guests. It is expected to cost $250 million, a bill that is set to be footed by private donors and Trump himself, according to the president. Many wealthy donors have already made substantial contributions to the project.

Typically, renovations to the White House must be approved by the National Capital Planning Commission, where Trump has installed White House official Will Scharf. For the most part, that process has been disregarded, with the White House saying that approval isn’t needed.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit created by Congress to preserve historic buildings in Washington, wrote a letter to the National Capital Planning Commission, the National Park Service and the Commission of Fine Arts, asking that the demolition be halted while the proper procedures are undertaken. They also cited aesthetic concerns.

“While the National Trust acknowledges the utility of a larger meeting space at the White House, we are deeply concerned that the massing and height of the proposed new construction will overwhelm the White House itself — it is 55,000 square feet — and may also permanently disrupt the carefully balanced classical design of the White House with its two smaller, and lower, East and West Wings,” the nonprofit wrote.

The construction has added a new level of intrigue for the hundreds of tourists who visit the White House grounds to catch a glimpse of the iconic building. The construction is partially visible from the White House fence and from Lafayette Square, where tourists were gathered Wednesday, observing and filming the demolition.

Trump himself is pleased with the ongoing renovations, telling Senators and reporters Tuesday that the sound of the ongoing construction work reminded him of money.

“In this case it reminds me of lack of money, because I’m paying for it,” he joked.