The White House has commenced the demolition of the East Wing to make way for Donald Trump’s new ballroom, despite not having submitted the required plans to the federal agency responsible for overseeing federal building constructions. The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) typically monitors such projects, but as of now, no formal plans have been filed with them.
On Tuesday, the White House confirmed to Reuters its intention to send the plans to the NCPC, which usually approves and oversees construction on federal properties. Reports surfaced earlier this week showing a backhoe actively removing sections of the White House’s exterior, marking the beginning of the demolition process.
The proposal for Trump’s extravagant 90,000 sq ft ballroom was made public in late summer, with Trump announcing that he would personally finance the estimated $200 million construction cost. “Just another way to spend my money for this construction,” Trump stated at the time, indicating his commitment to the project.
According to a report from The New York Times, a senior administration official revealed that the plans for the ballroom would necessitate the demolition of the entire East Wing of the White House. However, White House officials maintain that the ongoing demolition is permissible without prior approval from the NCPC.
Will Scharf, the Trump-appointed head of the NCPC and a staff secretary at the White House, clarified in September that there is a distinct difference between demolition and new construction approval. He emphasized that only the NCPC has the authority to approve new construction projects. In an official statement to the Guardian, a White House representative asserted, “The National Planning Commission does not require permits for demolition, only for vertical construction. Permits will be submitted to the NPC at the appropriate time.”
In a letter addressed to the White House on Tuesday, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a prominent nonprofit organization dedicated to historic preservation, expressed that the demolition plans must undergo public review as legally mandated. The organization urged Trump to halt the demolition process, citing concerns that the new construction's size—55,000 sq ft—could overshadow the White House and disrupt its classical design, which has been carefully balanced with the smaller East and West Wings.
During Trump’s first term, the White House sought NCPC approval for a much smaller project, the installation of a new fence. This has led to questions about the current approach to the larger ballroom construction.
In light of the criticism surrounding the demolition, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, addressed the issue on Fox News, referring to the reaction as “a lot of fake outrage.” She noted that while many past presidents have envisioned such projects, it is Trump who is actively bringing them to fruition. “He is the builder-in-chief. In large part, he was re-elected to this people’s house because he is good at building things,” Leavitt remarked, highlighting that various presidents have made changes to the White House over the years.
Critics have pointed to Trump’s earlier assurances that the new construction would not impact the existing structure. “It won’t interfere with the current building. It’ll be near it, but not touching it, and it pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of,” Trump had stated previously.
