New pics show East Wing reduced to rubble next to White House as Trump announces bigger ballroom
WASHINGTON, DC: New photographs taken Friday from inside the White House grounds reveal an expanse of broken concrete and twisted steel that now occupies the spot where the 123-year-old East Wing stood just weeks ago.
Over the weekend, President Donald Trump revealed on Truth Social that construction work for his $300 million ballroom is underway and it would be "double the size" than originally planned. He said that the "column SPAN has been substantially increased for purposes of viewing," but the project was "under budget and ahead of schedule."
The images show heavy excavators moving debris under a clear winter sky while construction crews in hard hats work around the perimeter.
Demolition of the East Wing
The East Wing, built in 1902 and expanded in 1942, was fully demolished in October to make way for a permanent 90,000-square-foot pavilion and ballroom that Trump has described as a long-overdue upgrade to the executive mansion’s entertaining space.
The project, first announced in July, will replace the temporary tents historically erected on the South Lawn for large state dinners and receptions.
Trump has called the new structure a “beautiful ballroom” modeled after the grand event spaces at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach. “We are going to make and build a ballroom, which they’ve wanted for probably 100 years at the White House,” he told NBC News in May.
In September, Trump insisted that the addition would be built adjacent to the existing residence. “It won’t interfere with the current building,” he said. “It’ll be near it but not touching it, and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of.”
By early October, however, the decision was made to remove the entire East Wing structure. Trump later explained, “In order to do it properly, we had to take down the existing structure.”
During a luncheon with Republican senators that same month, the sound of demolition equipment could be heard in the background. Trump pointed toward the noise and told the group, “You probably hear the beautiful sound of construction in the back. When I hear that sound, it reminds me of money.”
The president has long argued that the White House lacks adequate indoor space for major events. In a November tour with Fox News, he flaunted his personal expertise in the field. “Building ballrooms is my greatest strength. I built many ballrooms in many buildings. And that’s my greatest strength, actually. I might as well do this," he told host Laura Ingraham.
Funding, architecture, and timeline of Trump's ballroom project
Funding for the project comes entirely from private donors, including major contributions from Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Lockheed Martin, eliminating any cost to taxpayers.
The original architect, James McCrery, stepped away from day-to-day design after alleged disagreements with the president over the final footprint. The White House has since brought on additional architectural firms while retaining McCrery in a consulting role.
Updated renderings featuring arched windows, high ceilings, and classical detailing are scheduled for submission to the National Capital Planning Commission this month. Construction is on track for completion in 2027. The new pavilion is expected to accommodate more than 900 guests indoors.
Last week, while hosting an event in the East Room, Trump gestured toward the construction zone visible through the windows and told guests, “In about two years from now, we’ll use a much bigger room. It looks pretty nice right now. It’ll look a lot better in a little while.” He insisted the ballroom project has “really become very popular” within his administration.
