Law Dork: “Photos obtained exclusively by Law Dork on Tuesday show that President Donald Trump is completely demolishing the East Wing of the White House as part of his stated plan to build a ballroom befitting his standards on the White House grounds. Although Trump earlier had said the ballroom “won’t interfere with the current building,“ this week it became abundantly clear that was a lie. And, this dramatic change to the governmental building, Trump says, is happening care of private money and outside of any governmental — and transparent — funding process…One of the most complete reports that I have found on what is known about what is going on comes from Bryan Gottlieb at Engineering News-Record. In the report, he noted that “[t]he project, announced July 31 by the White House, will be built by Clark Construction Group with AECOM as engineer and McCrery Architects as designer.” Additionally, Gottlieb explained:

Regulatory filings show that as of Sept. 4 no submission had been made to the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), which reviews major federal projects in the capital region.

Commission Chairman Will Scharf, who also serves as White House staff secretary, said during a public meeting that “what we deal with is essentially construction, vertical build,” explaining why demolition and site-preparation work began before NCPC review. The interpretation leaves design oversight unresolved, even as groundwork proceeds.

1. “The ENR report also noted that Executive Order 11593, signed by Richard Nixon, is applicable to the work. Other resources, including a 2014 report from the National Park Service that was highlighted by the Post, address other relevant authorities, including a 1961 law signed by John F. Kennedy that the White House Historical Association describes as “legislating the White House’s status as a museum and extending legal protection to donated period furnishings and all White House objects.“ It is not clear that the Trump administration consulted with any of these laws or orders, let alone followed them, before demolition began on Monday. This is, in addition to everything else, yet another example of Trump using his office to get people to give him money. As Trump wrote on Truth social on Monday, “The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly.“
2. Baltimore Banner – “…The East Wing has historically housed offices for the first lady and some White House staff, but Trump has plans for it to become a ballroom. ACECO began tearing down parts of the wing on Monday, according to multiple news reports. The president, according to NPR, has moved ahead with his $250 million idea without consent from the National Capital Planning Commission, which approves major renovations to federal buildings in the Washington, D.C., area. The commission is closed due to the federal shutdown, according to its website. Since ACECO’s backhoes and other demolition equipment started appearing in news photos on Monday, critics of the project began leaving negative online reviews for the company, shaming it on social media and calling on others to do the same…”
3. See also Five Major Changes Trump Is Making to the White House. In less than a year, President Trump has already significantly remade the White House. In less than a year, President Trump has already significantly remade the White House. The Oval Office is decorated from top to bottom in gold. The Rose Garden’s lawn is paved over. And on Monday, part of the East Wing was demolished as Mr. Trump’s 90,000-square-foot ballroom project forged ahead. Here is what we know about five key White House renovations…”
4. See also this image from the Washington Post that clearly illustrates the magnitude of destruction of the historic White House buildings as well as the extent to which the new building will encroach upon previously open area.