By MICHAEL BIESECKER
WASHINGTON (AP) — New satellite tv for pc pictures taken Thursday present the dimensions of the demolition of the White Home East Wing as President Donald Trump strikes ahead with the development of a brand new ballroom on the White Home.
See the change in pictures from Oct. 23 and Sept. 26, 2025 in pictures from Planet Labs PBC:
East Wing demolished, pictures present
The East Wing, the place first women created historical past, deliberate state dinners and promoted causes, is now historical past itself. The 2-story construction of drawing rooms and workplaces, together with workspace for first women and their staffs, has been become rubble, demolished as a part of the Republican president’s plan to construct what he mentioned is now a $300 million ballroom almost twice the dimensions of the White Home.
Trump mentioned Wednesday that preserving the East Wing would have “damage a really, very costly, lovely constructing” that he mentioned presidents have needed for years. He mentioned “me and a few buddies of mine” pays for the ballroom for free of charge to taxpayers.
Trump allowed the demolition to start this week regardless of not but having approval from the related authorities businesses with jurisdiction over building on federal property.
Preservationists have additionally urged the Trump administration to halt the demolition till plans for the 90,000-square-foot (8,361-square-meter) ballroom can undergo the required public evaluation course of.
The Nationwide Belief for Historic Preservation mentioned the evaluation course of, together with time for members of the general public to touch upon plans for the ballroom, would “present an important alternative for transparency and broad engagement — values which have guided preservation of the White Home beneath each administration going again to the general public competitors in 1792 that produced the constructing’s authentic design.”
The Belief additionally expressed concern to the Nationwide Capital Planning Fee, the Nationwide Park Service and the Fee of Nice Arts that the dimensions of the proposed ballroom will overwhelm the Govt Mansion, which stands at 55,000 sq. toes “and will completely disrupt the fastidiously balanced classical design of the White Home.”
Each commissions have jurisdiction over adjustments to the White Home. The park service manages the White Home grounds and has a task within the course of as a number of bushes on the South Garden have been reduce down as a part of the development. Each businesses presently are closed due to the federal government shutdown. Trump put in high aide Will Scharf as chairman of the planning fee.
The Nationwide Park Service mentioned in August, after the White Home introduced the ballroom venture, that it had offered historic preservation steerage and help as a part of a broader session course of. It mentioned remaining choices are made by the Govt Workplace of the President.
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