The Trump administration has ordered government employees not to take or share photographs of construction work happening at the White House.
Pictures of the building’s East Wing being torn apart, apparently taken from the adjacent Treasury Department building, were shared online widely on Tuesday.
Footage showed an excavator ripping into the East Wing’s façade, smashing the windows as work began to construct the 90,000 square foot ballroom.
After the images were shared online, staff at the Treasury Department were instructed not to share pictures of the building work.
“As construction proceeds on the White House grounds, employees should refrain from taking and sharing photographs of the grounds, to include the East Wing, without prior approval from the Office of Public Affairs,” a Treasury official said in an email to staff on Monday, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The US president previously said the ballroom’s construction “won’t interfere” with the East Wing.
Tree clearing and other work to prepare the site for the ballroom project started in September.
Credit: Nikki Schwab
“I am pleased to announce that ground has been broken on the White House grounds to build the new, big, beautiful White House ballroom,” Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social social media platform on Monday.
He added: “Completely separate from the White House itself, the East Wing is being fully modernised as part of this process, and will be more beautiful than ever when it is complete.”
“I am honoured to be the first president to finally get this much-needed project underway,” he said.
On Tuesday, Mr Trump brushed off criticism over the demolition, saying the sound of the construction work was “music to my ears.”
“We’re building a world-class ballroom. For 150 years they’ve wanted a ballroom,” Mr Trump told a lunch for Republican Senators at the White House as the sounds of machinery could be heard in the background.
“You probably hear the beautiful sound of construction to the back. You hear that sound? Oh, that’s music to my ears. I love that sound.”
Donald Trump previously said the ballroom’s construction ‘won’t interfere’ with this wing – JIM LO SCALZO/EPA/Shutterstock
Mr Trump, who made his fortune in construction and real-estate, added: “When I hear that sound, it reminds me of money. In this case it reminds of lack of money because I’m paying for it.”
The US president has said that he is partly funding work on the giant ballroom while private and corporate donors will cover the rest.
Karoline Leavitt, Mr Trump’s press secretary, responded to critics of the project on Monday by sharing examples of former presidents’ White House renovations.
Among the building work listed was Theodore Roosevelt’s building of the West Wing in 1902 and Harry Truman’s extensive White House renovations in 1948.
“Construction has always been a part of the evolution of the White House,” Steven Cheung, White House communications director, wrote on X.
“Losers who are quick to criticise need to stop their pearl clutching and understand the building needs to be modernised. Otherwise you’re just living in the past.”
The White House has insisted that it does not need approval from the National Capital Planning Commission for the demolition, only for new construction.
Mr Trump insisted he did not need approval to carry out the demolition – Kevin Dietsch
The commission is responsible for approving construction and major renovations to government buildings in the Washington area. Its chairman, Will Scharf, is also the White House staff secretary and a top aide to Mr Trump.
However, it has not approved the construction yet and it is unclear whether the White House has submitted the ballroom plans to the agency. The commission’s offices are closed because of the US government shutdown.
Mr Trump has already carried out extensive redecoration of the White House since returning to office.
He has covered the Oval Office in gold ornaments and fittings which mimic the style of decor at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
He also paved over the grass in Jackie Kennedy’s Rose Garden, saying his female guests’ high heels were sinking into the lawn.
Mr Trump said he wants to create a ballroom because the largest room in the White House – the East Room – only has space for 200 people.
In July, he said building for the ballroom would “respect” the existing East Wing.
“It will be near but not touching [the East Wing] – and pays total respect to the existing building,” Mr Trump said.
The new ballroom will have space for around 1,000 and will be completed before Mr Trump’s second term ends in January 2029 at an estimated cost of $200m (£150m).
A rendering of what it will look like inside the ballroom – McCrery Architects/White House
Earlier this year, the US president spoke fondly of his renovation plans when he met Ursula von der Leyen, the European Council president, at his ornate Trump Turnberry resort in Scotland to hammer out details of a trade deal.
“You know, we just built this ballroom and we’re building a great ballroom at the White House,” Mr Trump said.
“No president knew how to build a ballroom I could take this one, drop it right down there, and it would be beautiful.”
The East Wing is traditionally the base for the First Lady.
Melania Trump’s staff packed their belongings and cleared their desks in September before the demolition, the New York Times reported.
A Treasury spokesman told The Telegraph: “Carelessly shared photographs of the White House complex during this process could potentially reveal sensitive items, including security features or confidential structural details.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we have urged our employees to avoid sharing these images.”
