VIDEO The demolition of part of the White House, which Trump wants to turn into a ballroom, has begun. “She will be more beautiful than ever!”
Demolition work on part of the East Wing of the White House on October 20, 2025, in Washington, ahead of the construction of a new ballroom. PHOTO: Evan Vucci / AP / Profimedia
Demolition crews began tearing down part of the White House's east wing on Monday to begin construction on President Donald Trump's ballroom, a project the Republican leader said would not affect the existing historic building.
Large construction equipment was seen dismantling the facade of the building, part of the White House complex that housed the offices of the US First Lady, a theater and a visitor's entrance where foreign dignitaries come.
Demolition begins on East Wing of White House for Trump's new $250 million ballroom https://t.co/Ygzc7NVCJf pic.twitter.com/mShFjy9VI0
— New York Post (@nypost) October 20, 2025
The ballroom project is estimated to cost more than $250 million, which Trump said in July he would pay for out of his own pocket and through donations.
“It's going to be wonderful,” Trump said at the time. “It's not going to affect the current building. It's not going to be — it's going to be next to it, but it's not going to touch it. And it's totally respectful of the existing building, which I'm a big fan of. It's my favorite,” he said.
The White House did not respond Monday to a request for clarification on the demolition of the current building in the East Wing.
Trump announced Monday that the project had been started after images of the demolition began circulating on news channels.
“Right behind us, we're building a ballroom,” Trump told visiting Louisiana State University athletes in the East Room of the residence near the White House. “I didn't know that I would be sitting here right now, because there is a lot of construction going on right on the other side, which you can hear periodically,” the American leader added.
The upcoming parties will begin with cocktails in the East Room before guests are ushered into what Trump called the “most beautiful” ballroom in the country, overlooking the Washington Monument and seating 999 people.
“Completely separate from the White House, the East Wing is being completely modernized as part of this process and will be more beautiful than ever when it's completed!” the US president later said on his Truth Social network.
Obama once wore a tan suit and they had pitchforks out.
Today demolition crews began tearing down parts of the East Wing of the White House to build Trump's $250 Million ballroom after claiming it wouldn't “interfere” with the existing White House structure. pic.twitter.com/vpfS9HNbdv
— david 🌻 (@realdavidonline) October 20, 2025
Trump, who was a real estate developer before launching his political career, has made extensive cosmetic changes to the White House, personally choosing gold trim for the Oval Office and remaking the Rose Garden in the style of his golf clubs. He also took an interest in the capital city of Washington and the surrounding area, proposing the creation of an Arc de Triomphe-style monument to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in 2026.
The current East Wing was built in 1942 during the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, when World War II was underway, over a bunker built for the president's use in an emergency.
But the complex sometimes struggles to accommodate the number of employees, visitors and guests of the president who want to attend his events. For example, several official White House dinners have been held in a tent on the South Lawn.
