Historic preservation group asks Trump admin. to pause White House East Wing demolition where ballroom will be

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

Updated on: October 22, 2025 / 8:56 AM EDT


The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit chartered by Congress to further the historic preservation policy in the U.S., has written a letter urging the Trump administration to pause the demolition of the East Wing of the White House until a review of President Trump's ballroom plans is completed.

The letter, sent Tuesday and addressed to the National Capital Planning Commission, National Park Service and Commission of Fine Arts, voices concern about the size of the ballroom annex — that "the proposed new construction will overwhelm the White House itself."

The Trust has no statutory authority to compel the Trump administration to halt construction.

"We respectfully urge the Administration and the National Park Service to pause demolition until plans for the proposed ballroom go through the legally required public review processes, including consultation and review by the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts, and to invite comment from the public," it says.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/historic-preservation-group-ballroom-white-house/

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Link to LETTER - National Trust Letter Regarding Proposed Construction of the White House Ballroom

Link to LETTER (PDF) - https://savingplaces.org/letter-to-ncpc-re-proposed-construction-of-white-house-ballroom


It's too late. You are watching this nation's legacy, figuratively, and now literally, being torn to shreds.

They were warned.

I really think that half of the people who are even partially paying attention, are paralyzed, mouths agape, like deer in headlights.

[calguy]

1. Kinda late for that

It’s already demolished, and can’t be replaced.

[Baitball Blogger]

5. Oh, it can be reconstructed. We have experts who can do that. I think Trump should

Serve his term out with the exposed damage as a backdrop.

[littlemissmartypants]

11. Good idea.

[Paladin]

2. He'll use that National Trust letter for toilet paper.

And he'll laugh while doing so.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

8. I think the Constitution is on softer paper.

[Paladin]

9. I just assumed the Constitution was already used and flushed. (nt)

[Champp]

3. For Gawd's sake stop, you classless clueless greedhead republican liars

detach your balls and ballroom from OUR White House

[bamagal62]

4. A bit late.

[Autumn]

6. The time to have done that was before he bulldozed part of the white house.

He's been talking about it for weeks. Our government is a sham and not prepared for anything. .

[usonian]

7. And in reply:

[Katinfl]

10. Too late.

The damage is done. It can never be put back together like it was. Let’s hope our country can be put back together when this nightmare is finally over.

[littlemissmartypants]

12. Bless their hearts.

[cutroot]

19. They still believe that they are dealing with a sane rational person

I wonder how many of them are republicans

[Ray Bruns]

13. Good luck with that.

[hlthe2b]

14. The scope of the ballroom would overwhelm the White House itself... Gee, ya think?

I am beside myself over this. In a near year of horrors, of which many were predictable (given the Project 2025 Blueprint-- which the MSM actively ignored), the metaphor for all the destruction that his taking a wrecking ball to the East Wing presents--is just beyond it. I need at least some "ebb and flow" to my intense anger to survive. I don't feel like we are getting even a momentary break each day... For the first time ever, I am getting heart rate increase alerts on my Apple Watch periodically through the day when I'm not doing anything physical. This is obviously getting to me.

[Doodles]

20. I can totally relate.

I feel the same. I’m not sure why but this has just destroyed me. Of all the awful things, I saw the first picture Monday afternoon and just lost it.

[slightlv]

15. Your last paragraph that you wrote really hits close to home for me.

The other half of the time I'm jumping out of my skin in rage and sorrow. All mental health care should be free to anyone in the U.S. once trump is gone, as well as blood pressure meds, etc. Each case can be traced back to him coming down that golden escalator in 2015.

[Lonestarblue]

16. Trump and Musk used a metaphorical wrecking ball on the federal government to make it dysfunctional.

Now Trump is taking a literal wrecking ball to the White House. He is also using ICE and federalized National Guard to take a wrecking ball to Democratic cities solely because they do not fall down and worship him.

I do not think we will have much of a country left by 2028–if he survives that long. And Vance as the heir apparent would be just as destructive because it isn’t just Trump. It’s the Republican Party.

[MLWR]

17. He will totally ignore this request.

The ONLY thing that is important to him is what HE wants and HIS instant gratification.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

18. MaddowBlog-It's not just the facade: Team Trump has wrecked much of the White House's East Wing

By Tuesday afternoon, it appeared obvious that a significant portion of the East Wing has been demolished, the president's earlier vows notwithstanding.

Link to tweet

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/s-not-just-facade-team-trump-wrecked-much-white-houses-east-wing-rcna239092

As the controversy surrounding the demolition project was growing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that she believed the outrage to be “fake,” because nearly every president has made “modernizations and renovations” during his tenure. But we’re not just talking about modest alterations. Rather, in this instance, we’re talking about bulldozers.

While the news on Monday afternoon indicated that crews had torn down the entrance way to the White House’s East Wing, it became clear a day later that the facade wasn’t the only part of the structure affected. The Washington Post reported:

A demolition job that began Monday with the disappearance of the White House’s eastern entrance advanced Tuesday with the destruction of much of the East Wing, according to a photograph obtained by The Washington Post and two people who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the scene.

By Tuesday afternoon, it appeared obvious that a significant portion of the East Wing has been demolished, Trump’s earlier vows notwithstanding.

NEW: After The Washington Post reported Monday on the demolition of the "East Wing facade," a new picture obtained by Law Dork that was taken on Tuesday shows that a substantial portion of the entirety of the East Wing has been demolished.

— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner.bsky.social) 2025-10-21T20:13:32.290Z

.....Of course, those aren’t just partisan complaints: Trump, acting at his own discretion, really is treating the White House as if it were his own personal property.

As we’ve discussed, the symbolic significance is impossible to miss: An authoritarian president is literally tearing down part of a national treasure because he wants a fancy ballroom to host parties for the elite.

The White House has reportedly asked that officials “refrain from taking and sharing photographs of the grounds, to include the East Wing, without prior approval from the Office of Public Affairs.” This probably won’t stop images from reaching the public, though the appeal suggests that Team Trump isn’t exactly proud of its handiwork.

[Bayard]

21. We will all have PTSD by the time this piece of shit is out of what's left of the White House

At least, people that are actively watching what's going on.

Would anyone be half-way suprised now if he demolishes what's left and builds a gigantic golden palace?

[JustAnotherGen]

22. It's shock doctrine stuff

Distraction stuff.

I'm telling you BDR - we are going to learn he was an 'owner' in Epstein's business. He's a trafficker of girls.