Overview
- The East Wing has been fully demolished to clear space for a roughly 90,000-square-foot ballroom, with satellite and aerial images confirming the site reduced to rubble.
- The project’s budget has climbed from an initial $200 million to about $300 million, with Trump also citing $350 million, and the White House says no taxpayer funds will be used.
- A released donor list names tech and corporate contributors and prominent individuals, including Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, Palantir, Miriam Adelson, Howard Lutnick, and Stephen Schwarzman, with the Trust for the National Mall acting as the conduit.
- An administration official said construction plans have not yet been submitted to the National Capital Planning Commission; the White House argues demolition did not require submission and says vertical construction will be sent for review later.
- Preservation groups urged a pause for legally required public review, and a Virginia couple filed for a temporary restraining order, while Senate Democrats led by Elizabeth Warren demanded detailed donor accounting and contracting disclosures.