Summary
President Donald Trump has ordered the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to build a new ballroom that can hold 650 people. The project has raised controversy, with some calling it unnecessary and expensive, while President Trump claims it is a long-needed upgrade funded by private donors.
Key Facts
- The East Wing of the White House, where the first lady's offices were, was demolished to build a new ballroom.
- The new ballroom is planned to cover 90,000 square feet and hold up to 650 people.
- The project's cost initially estimated at $200 million, has increased to $300 million, with funding reportedly from private donors.
- Satellite photographs showed the East Wing was completely demolished by October 23, 2023.
- Demolition work began on October 20, 2023, according to White House officials.
- Comedian Bill Maher made jokes about the speed of the demolition and discussed the symbolic meaning of the construction with guests on his show.
- The project has drawn criticism from figures like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who called it a "vanity project."
