White House begins demolishing part of East Wing to build Trump's ballroom

WASHINGTON -- The White House has begun demolishing part of its East Wing to build a ballroom requested by US President Donald Trump, local media reported Monday.

"I am pleased to announce that ground has been broken on the White House grounds to build the new, big, beautiful White House Ballroom," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that the ballroom is being "privately funded."

"For more than 150 years, every President has dreamt about having a Ballroom at the White House to accommodate people for grand parties, State Visits, etc. I am honored to be the first President to finally get this much-needed project underway," Trump said.

The president previously said that the construction wouldn't "interfere" with the existing building. It's estimated to cost 250 million US dollars.

The project has drawn harsh criticism from Democrats. California Governor Gavin Newsom posted on X that Trump's priorities include "bulldozing the White House" instead of reopening the government.

The East Wing was constructed in 1902 and has been renovated and changed many times, with a second story added in 1942, according to the White House.