Posted on 10/23/2025 5:06:44 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
Demolition of the White House’s East Wing, itself a source of multiple controversies for more than 200 years, was completed Thursday.
Excavators were spotted starting Monday tearing it apart.
It was home to first lady Melania Trump’s office, the offices of the White House social secretary and calligrapher, as well as the movie theater and the presidential bunker. It’s now described as “the Late Great East Wing” on the White House website for Christmas tours.
The staff members of those offices were relocated to other parts of the White House, CNN reported.
The demolition will set the stage for construction of a $300 million ballroom, “a bold, necessary addition” to the executive mansion, the Trump administration said in a statement issued Tuesday.
The East Wing’s razing was met with criticism both by preservationists and by more than half of the American public. In death, the East Wing has come full circle, as it received criticism at the time of its birth during early 1800s.
President Thomas Jefferson, who served two terms 1801-09, first ordered the installation of colonnades on both the eastern and western sides of the White House, according to the White House Historical Association’s (WHHA) website. The colonnades “facilitated staff movement and added a refined architectural element to the White House,” the association noted.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Like I said on another thread about the construction that stated the East Wing that is being demolished is 83 years old. There’s members of Congress that are that old, or more, that should also be demolished.
I’m glad they are going to have a real place for large events and for state dinners. In the past the events have been in tents. Walking outside on the lawn in dress shoes and high heels has been difficult. As the most powerful country in the world we should have appropriate indoor accomations.
Grok:
Several U.S. presidents have overseen significant construction, reconstruction, or major expansion projects at the White House during their terms. Below is a chronological list of those most directly involved, focusing on structural work (e.g., building, rebuilding, or adding wings/porticos) rather than purely decorative changes. I've included brief details on the scope for context.
- **George Washington (1789–1797)**: Oversaw the original construction of the White House (then called the President's House), including laying the cornerstone in 1792. The project took eight years and involved European immigrants and enslaved laborers quarrying Aquia Creek sandstone.
- **James Madison and James Monroe (1815–1817)**: Directed the rebuilding of the White House after British forces burned and gutted it during the War of 1812. The exterior walls were largely repaired or rebuilt, restoring the original 8,000-square-foot footprint at a cost of about $500,000 (equivalent to $11.5–13 million today).
- **James Monroe and Andrew Jackson (1824 and 1829)**: Added the South Portico (designed by James Hoban in 1824 under Monroe) and North Portico (in 1829 under Jackson), enhancing the neoclassical facade at a combined cost of about $44,000 (over $1 million today).
- **Theodore Roosevelt (1902)**: Led a comprehensive renovation and expansion to separate living quarters from offices, including demolishing stables/greenhouses for a new temporary West Wing, enlarging public rooms, and adding an East Wing entrance. Congress funded it at $475,445 (about $18–22 million today).
- **William Howard Taft (1909)**: Expanded the West Wing to cover the former tennis court and created the first Oval Office in its south facade.
- **Calvin Coolidge (1927)**: Renovated the upper floors and attic, replacing wooden trusses with steel, rebuilding the roof, and adding third-floor living spaces and offices at a cost of $185,000 (about $3.5 million today).
- **Herbert Hoover (1929–1930)**: Oversaw West Wing reconstruction, including excavation for a basement and structural steel reinforcements; the project was damaged by a fire on Christmas Eve 1929 and subsequently rebuilt.
- **Franklin D. Roosevelt (1934 and 1942)**: Expanded the West Wing (adding a second floor, larger basement, and relocating the Oval Office) and built the current two-story East Wing (to conceal an underground bunker), increasing non-residential space to about 12,000 square feet.
- **Harry S. Truman (1948–1952)**: Conducted the most extensive rebuild in White House history, gutting the interior while preserving the exterior shell, reinforcing the foundation with steel/concrete, and adding rooms/sub-basements to reach modern square footage levels. The Trumans lived across the street at Blair House during the $5.7 million project (about $70–85 million today).
- **Gerald Ford (1975)**: Built an outdoor swimming pool on the South Lawn (replacing Nixon's indoor one), funded by private donations at $66,800 (about $404,000 today).
- **George W. Bush (2007)**: Renovated the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room and surrounding press offices, modernizing the 2,200-square-foot area at $8.5 million (about $14–18 million today; partly funded by media contributions).
More recent presidents, like Barack Obama (e.g., 2014–2017 residence upgrades) and Joe Biden (e.g., 2022 HVAC/solar installations), have authorized targeted infrastructure work, but these are generally smaller-scale maintenance rather than major construction. As of October 2025, President-elect Donald Trump has announced plans for a new 90,000-square-foot State Ballroom in the East Wing, estimated at $300 million in private funds, though work has not yet begun.
It has been renovated 5 times in the past.
https://www.businessinsider.com/white-house-renovation-1950s-photos-history?op=1#national-park-service-photographer-abbie-rowe-photographed-the-white-house-renovations-in-1950-halfway-through-the-project-1
“East Wing’s razing was met with criticism by more than half of the American public.”
Bull.
Half the American public neither knows of it or cares.
At least they’re admitting it’s been redone several times.
we should be happy with all the ridiculous attention that is being paid to the demolition. it detracts the media from ranting about the shutdown and other issues that might actually matter to the American people.
in short order this too shall pass and will be viewed historically as a big nothingburger, no different than nixon covering the pool for the press room, etc. yes it looks horrible as all creative destruction does. but nobody will remember it a year from now nor will they care.
the same pollsters showed Kamala winning easily!
LMAO
The one thing that is absolutely needing to be removed and never replaced is that terrible press room.
The progressive presidents built that horrid thing as a sop to their friends. The amount of power that was given to journalists by building that room has been such a pock mark and a stain on the U.S. people and U.S. history.
Progressives always help out other progressives and far too little effort is expended to get rid of the cancer that progressives spread - such as that press room.
“”There’s members of Congress that are that old, or more, that should also be demolished.””
LOL - you’re so right!!!
BS!
A few broom closets and First Lady’s office. You’d think it was an occupied Children’s Hospital the way the left is shrieking. Their heads explode over everything. Insane in the membrane
Bull.
Half the American public neither knows of it or cares.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.
Correct. Blatant lies such as the above are so common in the legacy media that Leftists simply regurgitate what they hear or read as being the gospel truth. Meanwhile most all people of normal intelligence simply assume that what comes from those same sources are nothing but lies and distortions of the truth. And so it goes!
Hey “The Hill” - Shove your silly stories.
No one gives a silly Dorkbama.
They are terrified it will be amazing.
Would it make any difference? Trump mostly does what Trump wants to do unless some piss ant judge stops him.
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