The entire East Wing of the White House in Washington has been demolished so that US President Donald Trump can build a ballroom at the property, in a move exceeding the original scope of the project and prompting controversy over the extent of the construction.
Pictures released by the Associated Press on Thursday showed the East Wing almost completely taken down.
Mr Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he had undertaken “really a tremendous amount of study with some of the best architects in the world” and determined that knocking down the East Wing was the best course of action.
The existing structure, he said, could “hurt” his planned ballroom. “In order to do it properly, we had to take down the existing structure,” Mr Trump said.
The President unveiled his ballroom plans over the summer, having long complained that the White House needed a larger room for entertaining. Originally he said the work on the White House grounds would not “interfere with the current building” and that the project would pay “total respect” to the existing structure’s architectural style.
He also put the total cost at around $200 million, but on Wednesday raised that figure to $300 million, to be paid entirely by “me and some friends”, including donors, he said. The ballroom, described by the White as a “much-needed and exquisite addition”, will span about 8,300 square metres and have a seating capacity of 650.
"Just trust the process," the White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday. "This is going to be a magnificent addition to the White House for many years to come, and it's not costing the taxpayers anything."
She added: "In due time, the East Wing is going to be more beautiful and modern than ever before. In addition, there will be a beautiful ballroom that can hold big parties and state visits for generations to come."
The most recent iteration of the East Wing was built in 1942 when Franklin D Roosevelt was president. US presidents have renovated and added to the White House and its grounds throughout history, but Mr Trump's changes are the most significant in decades. The demolition drew criticism after photos of the East Wing being torn down circulated earlier this week.
In a letter on Tuesday the National Trust for Historic Preservation urged the administration to “pause demolition until plans for the proposed ballroom go through the legally required public review processes”, and expressed concern that the size of the “proposed new construction will overwhelm the White House itself”.
Mr Trump dismissed questions about his transparency regarding the project. “It’s gotten really great reviews. I think we’ve been more transparent than anybody ever,” he said in the Oval Office.
It is the largest in a series of renovations Mr Trump has made to the White House since returning to power in January. He has covered the Oval Office with gold decor and paved over the Rose Garden.
The President is also planning changes elsewhere in the capital. Last week he unveiled plans to build a new arch that has been referred to as the "Arc de Trump" for its resemblance to Paris's famed Arc de Triomphe.
The arch, which would stand near the Lincoln Memorial, will act as a gateway to the US capital for those entering via the Arlington Memorial Bridge, near the Arlington National Cemetery. “It's going to be really beautiful,” Mr Trump said during a dinner at the White House.
