President Trump just confirmed how the entire East Wing of the White House will be demolished to make way for a new and expansive 90,000 square foot ballroom.
The project will also come at a new price tag of nearly US $200 million, which has now been revised upward to nearly US $300 million.
Despite past assurances from Trump that the existing structure would be preserved in its entirety or only minimally altered, many are stunned at the before and after taking center stage.
The new plan entails full demolition of the whole East Wing and replacement with a modern building connected to the main White House through a glass bridge.
Trump says the decision comes after extensive discussion and consultation with architects, who concluded that demolishing the existing wing was the best route. He also asserted that the East Wing was not much and that the new ballroom would be one of the great ballrooms anywhere in the world.
The project is said to be funded by private donors and the White House says the main residence and core structure would not be changed. However, critics are raising serious eyebrows about the demolition of the portion of a historic landmark, the speed at which it’s taking place, and also the transparency of approvals that were given.