White House begins demolishing part of East Wing for Trump ballroom
By: Bernd Debusmann Jr
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Demolition has begun on part of the East Wing of the White House in preparation for the construction of US President Donald Trump's new ballroom.
Construction crews tore down massive chunks of a covered entryway and windows in the East Wing on Monday, which Trump said is being "fully modernised".
The president previously said that his $250m (£186m) White House ballroom addition would be "near" the existing structure but would not change it.
"It won't interfere with the current building. It won't be. It'll be near it but not touching it - and pays total respect to the existing building, which I'm the biggest fan of," Trump said in July. "It's my favourite. It's my favourite place. I love it."
Trump announced the construction in a social media post, saying "ground has been broken" on the "much-needed" ballroom space.
"For more than 150 years, every President has dreamt about having a Ballroom at the White House to accommodate people for grand parties, State Visits, etc," he wrote.
BBC/Bernd Debusmann Jr
He said the project is being privately funded by "by many generous Patriots".
The White House has served as the historic home of the US president for two centuries. The East Wing was constructed in 1902 and was last modified in 1942.
From the south side of the building, the BBC saw several large pieces of construction equipment - some adorned with US flags - near the East Wing.
Trump wrote in his post that the East Wing was "completely separate" from the White House, though it is attached to the main structure.
The covered entryway, which spans much of the East Wing's south side, appeared to be being gutted, with concrete debris and metal cables clearly visible from several hundred meters.
The activity had attracted a small number of curious onlookers who stopped to ask photographers and reporters what was going on.
One woman, who was wearing a surgical mask and a sign with an anti-Trump slogan on it, expressed her dismay. She did not identify herself.
"I don't like it," she said - seemingly speaking to nobody in particular - as she gestured at the White House from behind a yellow van that was parked nearby. "Look what he's doing to it!"
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-- Says the Liar-in-Chief
Photo from Instagram
Trump's vision for America --
Photo from ABC News
This truly is representative of Trump's presidency. He introduces unnecessary chaos for his own benefit, lies about it, and leaves the nation with yet another scar.
Trump has frequently been called a Chaos Agent, which is appropriate, but more appropriately, he is the Master of Destruction and, at the moment, he increasingly has America in his nefarious grip.
That photo alone defines all of trmp's presidency
since he's already destroying our government and country, he might as well destroy the people's house too. DC has cold winters, it's unfair that the throngs of unamerican white trash willing to suck his dick for favors wait outside in the weather while he holds court ...
It ain't that cold. He should go to Fairbanks, Alaska in the middle of January
there's lots of high powered hunting rifles with scopes in alaska ...
lots of dangerous moose and bears that's why
... but they're so cute and fuzzy. it's just a big open air petting zoo for maga ...
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I provided information about how to contact elected officials on the seed posted to Newsviners.
republicans turned trump loose, let them clean up his shit ...
Why are Democrats so fucking stupid? Donald Trump just removed First Ladies from the future of the Presidency. To Trump women are just a fashion accessory for rich men.
There is not place for a First Lady in the White House any longer.
melania is either in NYC or miami gang-banging her mormon secret service detail ...
It's because she was hiding from him in there. One less place to go.
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Hate to break this to some folks, but almost every president who has ever resided in the White House has made structural changes to the White House both great and small. Why should Trump be any different?
I suppose you would support naming Trump's vanity project "His Majesty's Grand Ballroom".
Would anyone like to bet there will a big ass ole statue of Trump in the ballroom ? Probably more than one.
Actually, no I would not. But that is not going to happen and you know it as well as I do.
I am sure many on the left will call it what it is so they can use it. "The peoples ballroom at the peoples house".
trump's pedophile palace ...
But prior Presidents had some taste and style. Trump's tacky bordello decorations aren't very impressive.
melania does the WH interiors ...
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Ed,
That is simply not true. Presidents have made decorating changes, but not structural changes like this. The last structural change was:
In 1948 under Truman, who fixed the interior was completely gutted and rebuilt with a steel and concrete frame to prevent collapse, a process that doubled the number of rooms and added two basement levels. It did not change the exterior of the building, and it was not a vanity project.
AI overview:
I thought Republicans wanted badly to preserve history like Confederate monuments.
So where are they on this atrocity and destruction of White House property and it's history?
This is the wing that contained FDR's WWII bunker. Was that not significant enough to fight for it's historical preservation?
I do hope some future President sues the Trump organization to recoup the cost of restoration.
President Douchebag has more up his sleeve. The White House is about to be renamed.
If he makes it through four years the whole White House complex will be gone , replaced by a replica of Maralago . And the first families private quarters will look like this -
that is so gross
one of my close friends was a historian for the federal government, now retired. I asked him at dinner last night what the real story was on what trump was doing to the property of US taxpayers. he informed me of the national park service protocol for altering historical sites. courtesy of alt-nps.
So he broke protocol and acted unethically. Nothing new to see here
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The White Trump ?
The Trump Palace.
The Gold Mansion.
pedophile palace ...
There has been no mention of whether or not they removed the chandeliers, the many historic paintings and other pieces that have historical value.
Taxpayer dollars may well be funding the destruction of the "People's House" and no information has been provided in a transparent fashion to the American people.
While Trump got some corporate sponsors and donations for the actual ballroom construction, there is no information about why they lied about preserving the East Wing and whether the taxpayers are paying for the demolition.
Did they preserve anything in the East Wing? After Republicans make a big deal about preserving our history like Confederate monuments, why are they silent about this?
Because it's their King and they never question the King
Doesn't that question answer itself??
traitor heritage, traitor president ...
I realize that I come late to the party, but which part of the East Wing survived?
I think none, questioning the articles title...
... a bit late to issue a stop work order.