Overview
- Excavators tore into parts of the East Wing on Monday, with photos showing sections of facade and windows removed.
- Plans outline roughly 8,000 square meters of space for up to about 1,000 guests, far larger than the 200-seat East Room.
- The White House estimates $200–250 million in costs to be covered by Trump and unnamed donors, following a weekend thank-you dinner for contributors.
- The National Capital Planning Commission has not approved the new build, and its offices are limited by the federal shutdown, even as the White House says demolition needed no sign-off.
- Offices traditionally used by the First Lady are being temporarily relocated, while critics decry the timing and the impact on the historic ensemble.