NEW YORK – President Donald Trump's controversial move to build a $300 million White House ballroom isn't the first time the billionaire builder has ruffled feathers with a wrecking ball.
The demolition of the East Wing to erect a 90,000-square-foot presidential banquet hall has drawn outrage from groups like the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the American Institute of Architects, not to mention former first lady Hillary Clinton and members of Congress.
But Trump has a history of skirting rules and shredding promises going back to his days as a second-generation New York real estate developer. Despite the White House's status as a unique symbol of the United States, Trump has decades of muscle memory in barreling past opponents to build what he wants.
“He is of the school of developers who don’t ask for permission and don’t ask for forgiveness,” said Richard Emery, a prominent attorney who chairs a Manhattan cultural preservation group.
More: Trump exposed a 'loophole' to demolish the White House East Wing. Here's what we know.
