White House satellite images show Trump’s $300m ballroom destruction | US | News
As President Donald Trump moves forward with his $300 million ballroom project, new satellite images have revealed the extent of damage to the East Wing of the White House. A photo taken in September 2025 shows the East Wing in its original form, while a photo taken a month later shows the damaged portion of the historic building.
On Wednesday, Trump stated that keeping the East Wing would “destroy a very, very expensive, beautiful building” that he claimed past presidents have desired for years. He added that “me and some of my friends” would foot the bill for the ballroom, saving taxpayers any costs.
Trump allowed demolition to begin this week even though he had not received approval from relevant government agencies that oversee construction on federal property. Preservationists have called on the Trump administration to halt demolition until plans for the 90,000-square-foot (8,361-square-meter) ballroom go through the required public review process.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation emphasized that the review process, which includes public comment on the ballroom plans, “will provide a crucial opportunity for transparency and broad participation;” these were the values that guided the preservation of the White House under every administration, dating back to the public competition in 1792 that established the building’s original design.
President Trump and his administration began demolishing the East Wing of the People’s House on Monday as President Trump moved full speed ahead to finish the 900-seat ballroom before the end of his term. Express USA.
President Trump attempted to reassure the public that ballroom construction would not damage existing structures.
After the White House announced the plan in July, President Trump said, “It will not interfere with the existing building. It will not. It will be close to it, but it will not touch it, and it will fully respect the existing building, which I am the biggest fan of.” “My favorite place. My favorite place. I love it.”
President Trump defended continued ballroom construction during the government shutdown because American taxpayers are not funding it; instead, a select group of donors, including the president himself, contributed their own funds to the program.
During Thursday’s briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt urged reporters to “trust the process” in addressing concerns about the East Wing demolition.
While Leavitt explained that the ballroom was “really the president’s main priority,” he also dismissed criticism that the White House lacks transparency and makes decisions without proper oversight. “We informed you all. We are keeping you informed about this project. We showed you the visuals,” Leavitt said.
“We have published the full list of donors so far. Maybe there will be more people willing to contribute generously to this project. Trust the process. The president has committed his own resources.”
When asked about the increase in project cost, which was originally $200 million, Leavitt responded succinctly: “With any construction project, changes occur over time as we evaluate what the project will look like. We will continue to keep you informed of all these changes. But trust the process.”
