The U.S. Has Begun Demolishing Parts Of The White House
- 21.10.2025, 7:42
On Trump's "project".
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the construction of a ballroom on the White House grounds has begun. For this purpose, a part of the building is being demolished.
This is reported by NBC News.
The work to demolish part of the East Wing of the White House as part of Trump's project began on Monday, October 20. This was initially reported to the media by an administration official, and soon publicly confirmed by the US leader himself.
"I am pleased to announce that construction has begun on a new, large and beautiful ballroom on the White House grounds. The East Wing, completely separate from the White House itself, is being completely modernized as part of this process and will be even more beautiful when completed," Trump wrote.
He added that for more than 150 years, "every president has dreamed of a ballroom in the White House" to host receptions, state visits and the like.
"I am honored to be the first president to finally deliver this much-needed project - at no cost to the American taxpayer," the US president stressed.
He said the White House Ballroom is privately funded by "many generous patriots, major American companies and, humbly, your humble servants."
"This ballroom will be happily used by future generations," Trump summarized.
Some footage has also surfaced on social media, showing that demolition has begun.
Earlier in July, Trump said the project "will not interfere with the current building."
"It will be located next to, but will not touch it, and will show total respect for the existing building, of which I am a big fan," Trump said at the time.
The White House in turn, even before Trump's post today, did not immediately respond to questions from NBC News about what part of the building was slated for demolition and why this was happening despite Trump's recent statements that the White House itself would not be touched.
In September, the U.S. leader said the ballroom would seat up to 900 people, nearly 40 percent more than the originally planned capacity of 650.
The original cost of the project was estimated at $200 million. However, at a dinner for the ballroom's biggest backers last week, Trump confirmed the new price tag would be around $250 million.
According to NBC, the project could be the biggest physical change to the White House since the 1940s, when President Franklin Roosevelt expanded the East Wing in 1942 and then President Harry Truman added an eponymous balcony on the South Portico in 1948.