Trump Demolishes White House East Wing for Grand Ballroom Project

Guests arrive at the White House’s East Wing to commemorate President William Howard Taft’s wedding anniversary in 1911. Library of Congress/Handout/Reuters

In the midst of decay and waves of memory about the place where the East Wing of the White House once stood, President Donald Trump and his team are trying to come to terms with the consequences. The sudden dismantling is set against plans to build a luxurious ballroom with gold detailing, something he has long coveted. Trump asserts that the new building will become a monument to the nation’s grandeur, while his team says there is nothing unusual about the actions.

“Almost every president who resided in this beautiful White House … undertook modernization and updates to suit their own tastes,”

Author Kate Andersen Brower, who has written extensively about “The People’s House,” agrees with the basic assertion but notes a significant difference: “We have never seen an entire wing brought down by a wrecking ball.”

“We have never seen an entire wing destroyed by a wrecking ball.”

Brower adds: “In a sense, it has always been a little overlooked, and some people in the White House call it Siberia, because you always want to be as close as possible to the West Wing and the Oval Office, while the East Wing is distant.”

“In a sense, it has always been somewhat out of sight, and some people in the White House call it Siberia, because you always want to be as close as possible to the West Wing and the Oval Office, while the East Wing is evidently distant.”

What disappeared from the East Wing

The East Wing has historically been a place of soft power – social events tended to take precedence over political actions in the West Wing.

Here were held ceremonial gatherings, weddings, and other events where the first ladies and their guests were among the participants.

According to the White House, steps have been taken to preserve the East Wing’s historic artifacts, and the future centers on a large, costly ballroom, which Trump promised to have with almost 1,000 seats and which, according to the president, would reflect the country’s glory. He says private donors will cover the costs.

Nevertheless, many longtime supporters of the East Wing long for a legacy that, in their view, money could never buy.