Preservation group demands Trump pause demolition and ballroom project

Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News on Oct 22, 2025

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A leading historic preservation group is demanding President Trump pause the demolition of all or part of the White House’s East Wing to make room for his glitzy planned $250 million ballroom.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a congressionally chartered nonprofit, said in a letter that the controversial project should be put on hold until a review of Trump’s plans can be completed by regulatory agencies.

It also wants the public to have a say.

“We respectfully urge the administration … to pause demolition until plans for the proposed ballroom go through the legally required public review processes, including consultation and review by the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts, and to invite comment from the public,” the trust said.

The trust voiced aesthetic concerns that “the proposed new construction will overwhelm the White House itself.

A White House official told The New York Times on Wednesday that the entire East Wing will be demolished for the ballroom even though Trump initially denied the construction would even “touch” the historic wing.

The preservation trust has no legal power to block the demolition or Trump’s plans to erect a huge ballroom alongside the current footprint of the White House.

There was no immediate response from the White House to the letter. Officials say Trump does not need to file plans with oversight groups, but insisted they would do so before construction begins for the ballroom.

The demolition, which started without prior notice Monday, continued Wednesday, with backhoes ripping down portions of the East Wing.

Trump and White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt had previously falsely insisted no existing part of the White House would be affected by the ballroom project.

The 90,000-square-foot glass-windowed ballroom will house up to 1,000 guests and is expected to be bigger than the entire rest of the White House.

Trump says it’s needed because there is no White House space to accommodate crowds bigger than 200. State dinners and other large officials functions now must be held in tents outside.

The East Wing houses several offices, including those of the first lady. The offices are being temporarily relocated during the construction, which is the biggest construction project at the White House since 1948.