By Lucy Anders
Trump’s latest controversy has faced criticism among historians and the public, as the East Wing of the White House has been demolished, making way for a privately funded, 90,000-square-foot ballroom costing an estimated 300 million dollars. The project has been met with sharp criticism for proceeding without federal approval and defacing the iconic White House.
The demolition work began without public notice in October 2025 in shocking disregard of the historical preservation community. There have been numerous past renovations, including the construction of the West Wing by Theodore Roosevelt in 1902 and the Truman Balcony in 1948. However, no one ever destroyed an entire wing of the historical structure. Past projects were driven by practical needs like accommodating growing staff or structural functionality, but even these were controversial.
The new ballroom is a structure nearly double the size of the main White House residence. It is intended to provide a major entertaining space. Trump has long complained that the East Room, which holds around 200 people, is too small. The White House has defended their project as a necessary defacement, pushing back against “the latest instance of manufactured outrage” as “unhinged leftists and their Fake News allies are clutching their pearls over President Donald J. Trump’s visionary addition.”
The project is reportedly being funded by private donors, with Trump contributing some of his own money. Exact amounts have not been disclosed, but the White House has released a list that includes major corporations like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, among others. The ballroom is expected to be completed before the end of Trump’s term in January 2029.