Americans were surprised this week by the sight of an excavator tearing down a portion of the East Wing of the White House to make room for a massive ballroom.
President Donald Trump had discussed the project and released sketches of the plans, but for construction to get underway in the midst of a government shutdown was jarring. The government is shut down because Congress has not passed appropriations bills. But the $300 million ballroom, according to Trump, is privately funded.
Officials have released only high-level plans for the renovation, which sparked frustration and outrage that permanent alterations are being made to the White House. Preservation and architecture groups have demanded a more open process.
Various presidents have added on to the White House in their own ways over the years, but the ballroom will be the first change to the building’s facade since the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, when the current East Wing, which houses offices for the first lady, was constructed.
