The White House starts demolishing part of the East Wing to build Trump’s ballroom

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE WASHINGTON AP The White House on Monday started tearing down part of the East Wing the traditional base of operations for the first lady to build President Donald Trump s ballroom despite lacking approval for construction from the federal agency that oversees such projects Related Articles Executive shutdown imperils dozens of Head Start preschool programs Supreme Court will consider whether people who regularly smoke pot can legally own guns Trump says he has commuted sentence of former US Rep George Santos in federal fraud affair Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow deployment of National Guard in Chicago area FEMA staff sound the alarm on mishap preparedness at rally in front of agency headquarters Dramatic photos of the demolition work indicated a backhoe tearing into the East Wing fa ade and windows and other building parts in tatters on the ground Chosen reporters watched from a park near the Treasury Department which is next door to the East Wing Trump reported the start of construction in a social media post and referenced the work while hosting college baseball champs Louisiana State University and LSU-Shreveport in the East Room He noted the work was happening right behind us We have a lot of construction going on which you might hear periodically he disclosed adding It just started in the modern day The White House has moved ahead with the massive construction project despite not yet having sign-off from the National Capital Planning Commission which approves construction work and major renovations to regime buildings in the Washington area Its chairman Will Scharf who is also the White House staff secretary and one of Trump s top aides disclosed at the commission s September meeting that agency does not have jurisdiction over demolition or site preparation work for buildings on federal property What we deal with is essentially construction vertical build Scharf explained last month A model is seen as President Donald Trump addresses a dinner for donors who have contributed to build the new ballroom at the White House Wednesday Oct in Washington AP Photo John McDonnell It was unclear whether the White House had submitted the ballroom plans for the agency s review and approval The White House did not respond to a request for comment and the commission s offices are closed because of the establishment shutdown The Republican president had mentioned in July when the project was disclosed that the ballroom would not interfere with the mansion itself It ll be near it but not touching it and pays total respect to the existing building which I m the biggest fan of he explained of the White House It s my favorite It s my favorite place I love it The East Wing houses several offices including the office of the first lady It was constructed in and and has been renovated over the years and a second story was added in according to the White House Karoline Leavitt the White House press secretary revealed those East Wing offices will be temporarily relocated during construction and that wing of the building will be modernized and renovated Work begins on the demolition of a part of the East Wing of the White House Monday Oct in Washington before construction of a new ballroom AP Photo Evan Vucci Nothing will be torn down Leavitt explained when she stated the project in July Trump insists that such a ballroom has been desired for years and that he s adding the massive -square-foot glass-walled space because the East Room which is the largest room in the White House with an approximately -person maximum is too small He also has disclosed he does not like the idea of hosting kings queens presidents and prime ministers in pavilions on the South Lawn The ballroom will be the biggest structural change to the Executive Mansion since the addition of the Truman Balcony overlooking the South Lawn in even dwarfing the building itself Barricades are in place for construction work for the planned new White House ballroom Sunday Sept in Washington AP Photo Mark Schiefelbein At a dinner he hosted last week for particular of the wealthy business executives who are donating money toward the million construction cost Trump reported the project had grown in size and now will accommodate people The quota was seated people at the July announcement The clearing of trees on the south grounds and other site preparation work started in September Plans call for the ballroom to be ready before Trump s term ends in January