The East Wing of the White House has now been completely destroyed to pave the way for Donald Trump’s $300m planned gilded ballroom. This is just days after his administration casually announced the plan. This act flies directly in the face of Trump’s earlier promise in July that he “won’t interfere with the current building,” during the entire construction project, according to NBC News.
Satellite images on Friday found by The Guardian confirmed that a massive section of the historic building has been “reduced to rubble.” This whole thing is causing outrage among historians, former White House officials, and, frankly, much of the public. This demolition is a total and swift reversal of that earlier pledge, which, to be fair, we probably should have seen coming.
What’s truly jaw-dropping is the complete lack of oversight Trump and his team have shown, just bulldozing a historic section of the White House because they felt like it. On Friday, senior administration officials told ABC News that Trump “will likely name” the ballroom after himself. Honestly, does anything sound more on-brand? In fact, officials told the outlet that some people are already calling it “The President Donald J Trump Ballroom”.
Donald Trump will destroy anything for his ego
It’s almost hilariously predictable, but you can’t help but be shocked at the speed and scale of the ego on display here. This new 90,000 sq ft ballroom is a massive undertaking, and it brings us to the next unbelievable point: the money. Trump touted the proposal, saying the construction “is being paid for 100% by me and some friends of mine”. When you hear “some friends of mine,” you expect a few billionaires who won’t do it for free.
What you’re getting, on the other hand, is a slew of huge names in the tech and defense world. The donors for this proposed gilded ballroom include major tech companies like Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Google. It doesn’t stop there; defense contractors and communications companies have also pitched in, including Lockheed Martin, Palantir, T-Mobile, and Comcast.
It’s a top-tier list of corporate powerhouses pouring cash into a project that’s already facing a major legal crackdown. You’ve got to wonder what kind of immersive experience those tech companies are expecting in a ballroom named after the current President. Trump just went ahead with this, seemingly without the legally required approvals.
He moved forward “despite not first sending plans to the National Capital Planning Commission,” which, for those of you who don’t know, is the federal agency that oversees construction and renovations to government buildings across the region.
However, the opposition is not having it. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a non-profit established by Congress, sent a letter to the White House saying the demolition plans are “legally required” to undergo public review. This isn’t just a difference of opinion; it’s a breach of federal law.
Published: Oct 27, 2025 06:35 am