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Trump directs demolition on part of White House for ballroom despite lacking construction approval [View all]
Trump directs demolition on part of White House for ballroom despite lacking construction approval
Follow the latest news on President Donald Trump and his administration | Oct. 20, 2025
The White House has started tearing down part of the East Wing to build the ballroom President Donald Trump wants added to the building. Demolition started Monday.
BY CURTIS YEE, MICHAEL WARREN, LUENA RODRIGUEZ-FEO VILEIRA, KIANA DOYLE, SAM BURDETTE AND NELL CLARK
Updated 9:39 PM EDT, October 20, 2025
At President Donald Trump’s direction, crews on Monday started tearing down part of the White House’s East Wing to build a new ballroom Trump has championed, despite lacking approval for construction from the federal agency that oversees such projects.
Although Trump said in July the ballroom would not interfere with the mansion itself, dramatic photos of the demolition work Monday showed construction equipment tearing into the East Wing façade and windows and other building parts in tatters on the ground.
The White House has moved ahead despite not yet having sign-off from the National Capital Planning Commission, which approves construction work to government buildings in the Washington area. Its chairman, Will Scharf, who is also the White House staff secretary and one of Trump’s top aides, said that the agency does not have jurisdiction over demolition work for buildings on federal property, only construction.
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Follow the latest news on President Donald Trump and his administration | Oct. 20, 2025
The White House has started tearing down part of the East Wing to build the ballroom President Donald Trump wants added to the building. Demolition started Monday.
BY CURTIS YEE, MICHAEL WARREN, LUENA RODRIGUEZ-FEO VILEIRA, KIANA DOYLE, SAM BURDETTE AND NELL CLARK
Updated 9:39 PM EDT, October 20, 2025
At President Donald Trump’s direction, crews on Monday started tearing down part of the White House’s East Wing to build a new ballroom Trump has championed, despite lacking approval for construction from the federal agency that oversees such projects.
Although Trump said in July the ballroom would not interfere with the mansion itself, dramatic photos of the demolition work Monday showed construction equipment tearing into the East Wing façade and windows and other building parts in tatters on the ground.
The White House has moved ahead despite not yet having sign-off from the National Capital Planning Commission, which approves construction work to government buildings in the Washington area. Its chairman, Will Scharf, who is also the White House staff secretary and one of Trump’s top aides, said that the agency does not have jurisdiction over demolition work for buildings on federal property, only construction.
{snip}
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