Demolition Begins on East Wing of White House for New Ballroom

The White House commenced the demolition of part of the East Wing on October 20, 2025, as part of President Donald Trump‘s plan to construct a new ballroom. This initiative aims to address the need for a larger event space, as the existing East Room is deemed insufficient for hosting prominent guests.

Dramatic images captured the demolition process, showcasing construction machinery dismantling the East Wing’s façade and leaving debris scattered on the ground. Reporters observed the activity from a nearby park adjacent to the Treasury Department, which borders the East Wing. In a social media announcement, Trump referenced the ongoing construction while hosting the 2025 college baseball champions, the Louisiana State University and LSU-Shreveport, in the East Room, stating, “We have a lot of construction going on, which you might hear periodically. It just started today.”

Despite the ambitious project’s launch, the White House has yet to secure approval from the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), which oversees construction and renovations for government buildings in the Washington area. Chairman Will Scharf, who also serves as the White House staff secretary, noted during the NCPC’s September meeting that the agency does not have jurisdiction over demolition or site preparation for federal properties.

The White House has not confirmed whether the specific plans for the ballroom have been submitted for review. The NCPC’s offices are currently closed due to a government shutdown, leaving inquiries unanswered. In previous statements, Trump assured that the ballroom construction would not interfere with the historic mansion. “It’ll be near it but not touching it and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of,” he remarked.

The East Wing, originally constructed in 1902 and renovated with an additional story in 1942, houses various offices, including those of the first lady. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, confirmed that offices located in the East Wing would be temporarily relocated during construction, which aims to modernize and enhance the space.

Trump has emphasized that the desire for a ballroom has been present for 150 years, arguing that the proposed $250 million structure will better accommodate events, with a capacity of up to 999 guests. This is a significant increase from the initial estimate of 650 seated guests announced in July. The ballroom is projected to be the most substantial alteration to the Executive Mansion since the addition of the Truman Balcony in 1948.

The ballroom project is touted by Trump as privately funded, with contributions from various “generous Patriots” and companies, including Carrier Global Corp., which has offered to donate the air conditioning system for the new space. Carrier confirmed this commitment, stating that it would provide a world-class, energy-efficient HVAC system for the ballroom. However, detailed cost estimates for this donation have not been disclosed.

Site preparation work, including tree clearing on the south grounds, began in September, with plans for the ballroom’s completion set before Trump’s term ends in January 2029. The project has sparked debate, especially in light of ongoing economic challenges and the current government shutdown, leading to public scrutiny of the expenditure involved in such a significant construction endeavor.

As demolition progresses, the implications of this project continue to unfold, reflecting both the aspirations of the Trump administration and the historical significance of the White House itself.