Despite president’s promise to preserve it, the eastern section of the building is now completely destroyed
The East Wing of the White House has now been completely destroyed to pave way for Donald Trump’s $300m planned gilded ballroom, just days after the administration announced it would happen and contradicting Trump’s earlier promise that the existing building would not be touched.
Satellite images on Friday showed the historic building’s eastern section reduced to rubble, to the outrage of historians, former White House officials and much of the public.
The demolition marked a reversal of Trump’s earlier promise in July that none of the White House’s existing infrastructure would be torn down during construction of the ballroom.
Trump went ahead despite not first sending plans to the National Capital Planning Commission, the federal agency that oversees construction and renovations to government buildings across the region.
