A $300 million ballroom is set to replace the historic East Wing of the White House, sparking outrage among many Americans. The construction, which began in secret during the government shutdown last November, has now been visible from the Washington Monument, showing a massive excavation site where the 1902 building once stood.
The East Wing was originally designed as an administrative office for First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt but gained prominence after Rosalynn Carter took up residence there in 1977. However, with the current renovation plans, six historical trees and the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden are being demolished to make way for a new, lavish ballroom that President Trump approved.
Trump claims the $300 million project will be funded through private donations, but experts have expressed skepticism about such generosity. The White House reported earlier this year that it had raised over $350 million, with an additional $50 million left over, which could potentially go towards building a triumphal arch modeled after Paris's iconic Arc de Triomphe.
In stark contrast to Trump's enthusiasm for the project, many Americans are vehemently opposed to its destruction. A recent poll conducted by ABC News and Washington Post/Ipsos found that 56% of respondents oppose the construction of the ballroom, with 45% strongly disapproving it. Even a minority who support demolition - just 28% of the total polled - is split among those who "strongly" back the idea.
This opposition highlights deep divisions on Trump's presidency and the nation's priorities.
The East Wing was originally designed as an administrative office for First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt but gained prominence after Rosalynn Carter took up residence there in 1977. However, with the current renovation plans, six historical trees and the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden are being demolished to make way for a new, lavish ballroom that President Trump approved.
Trump claims the $300 million project will be funded through private donations, but experts have expressed skepticism about such generosity. The White House reported earlier this year that it had raised over $350 million, with an additional $50 million left over, which could potentially go towards building a triumphal arch modeled after Paris's iconic Arc de Triomphe.
In stark contrast to Trump's enthusiasm for the project, many Americans are vehemently opposed to its destruction. A recent poll conducted by ABC News and Washington Post/Ipsos found that 56% of respondents oppose the construction of the ballroom, with 45% strongly disapproving it. Even a minority who support demolition - just 28% of the total polled - is split among those who "strongly" back the idea.
This opposition highlights deep divisions on Trump's presidency and the nation's priorities.
, like, thats not how you replace a historic building just because its old, theres gotta be some preservation or somethin'...and dont even get me started on the price tag $300 million is crazy 
and the fact that trump thinks private donations are gonna cover it lol yeah right 
...and what really gets me is all those beautiful trees and gardens being demolished for a ballroom, like whats next? the white house itself? 
I mean Im all for some modernization and renovations but come on be sensible about it 
. And to top it all off, we're getting rid of some actual historic landmarks? Like, what's next? Demolishing the Lincoln Memorial just because it doesn't fit the current White House aesthetic 
?
and the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, they're like so beautiful and full of history! 
- it's 2025 and we need to stay on top of our game, right? 
The fact that the construction is being funded by private donations (or so they claim 
investm ents . like, wut even is that? sounds like just a fancy way 4 saying "i'm broke". anywayz back to the white house thing... i feel bad for those historical trees tho 
the fact that 56% of people are against it is huge 
maybe we should just stop what we're doing right now and focus on preserving our history instead? 
️ and I'm like "wow" - the history, the architecture... anyhoo, back to the White House thing. I mean, $300 million is a huge chunk of change 
.
. Can't they just leave it alone?
. I mean, the original East Wing is pretty old, like 1902 or something... it's been serving its purpose for over a century. Plus, Eleanor Roosevelt and Rosalynn Carter both loved their time in that building, so it's got some history to it. And let's be real, $300 million ain't nothing 
. It's just a shame some ppl are being super dramatic about it 
The thought of destroying those beautiful historical trees and the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden just to make way for a fancy ballroom is just heartbreaking 
I mean, what's the point of saving $300 million if we're just gonna waste it on something that's not even serving a purpose? And can you believe they claim it's gonna be funded by private donations 
like anyone's actually going to donate that kind of money for this project? It feels like another example of our leaders being completely out of touch with the people... I feel so sad that more Americans aren't standing up against this and speaking out about how much we care about preserving our history 
They're getting destroyed left and right! 
️ Is it really worth $50 million? 
It seems like we're all being pulled in different directions, and I don't think the ballroom is going to be the solution... 
the fact that 56% of ppl are straight up opposed to it is wild 
it shows how much ppl care about preserving history and not just making things more "presidential"