US President Donald Trump has defended his decision to demolish part of the White House East Wing to build a ballroom, calling the construction "music to my ears", despite mounting criticism of the project.
Speaking to senators from his Republican Party at the White House on Tuesday, Trump also said: "You probably hear the beautiful sound of construction in the back... When I hear that sound, it reminds me of money."
Trump, a former property developer, is spending $250m (£186m) on a new, 90,000 sq ft (8,360 sq m) ballroom to host parties, state visits and other events.
But since work began on Monday, a number of critics have spoken out - among them his one-time rival, Hillary Clinton.
Also on Tuesday, the leader of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a Washington non-profit organisation that protects historic US sites, wrote a letter to White House officials saying she was "deeply concerned" by the project.
