White House demolition clears space for Trump’s $250m ballroom

Donald Trump is continuing to demolish the White House’s East Wing to make room for his $250million ballroom. On Monday (20 October), crews began tearing down parts of the building, which the president said is now being “fully modernised”. Trump assured the new ballroom, which will host parties, state visits and other events, would be “a lot of fun”. The 90,000 square-foot project is being funded by a group of wealthy donors, including the president, who has said he would personally contribute. The renovation has been met with outrage by some, with several trusts urging the president to pause demolition work on the historic building. The White House has hit back at the critics, claiming that “unhinged leftists” were "clutching their pearls” over the “bold, necessary addition”.