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 $200 million ballroom, according to Trump, is privately funded.
A full list of donors has not been released. Neither have detailed plans for the renovation, which sparked frustration and outrage that permanent alterations are being made to the executive mansion. 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 frequently houses offices for the first lady, was constructed.
