The White House has begun tearing down the East Wing to construct a new ballroom for Donald Trump.
An excavator was seen ripping into the East Wing’s façade, smashing the windows on Monday.
The US president had previously said the ballroom’s construction “won’t interfere” with this wing.
Tree clearing and other work to prepare the site for the ballroom project started in September.
“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.
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.”
Credit: Nikki Schwab
Mr Trump said that for more than 150 years, every president had dreamed of the White House having a ballroom to host state dinners and other receptions.
“I am honoured to be the first president to finally get this much-needed project underway,” he said.
The White House has insisted that it does not need approval from the National Capital Planning Commission for the demolition, only for new construction.
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.
A rendering of what it will look like inside the ballroom – McCrery Architects/White House
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, who made his fortune in real estate, 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).
It will be paid for by Mr Trump himself and “other patriot donors”, according to Karoline Leavitt, the White House spokesman.
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.
