Entire East Wing could be demolished by the weekend



The entire East Wing of the White House is expected to be completely demolished as soon as this weekend, according to multiple outlets citing sources familiar with the project.

Insiders have reportedly told ABC News, the Washington Post and the New York Times that the entire section will be torn down in a matter of days, despite President Trump’s claim that his glitzy new ballroom wouldn’t damage America’s most celebrated residence.

The demolition began without prior notice on Monday and continued on Wednesday, when multiple construction trucks were seen entering and exiting the White House grounds, according to ABC News. However, a seven-foot fence reportedly obscured the public’s view of what has become a far bigger renovation that Trump initially let on.

The president announced in July that he was planning to construct a $250 million event space where he could host large crowds of VIPs without leaving the property, but said the project wouldn’t even “touch” the historic wing.

He then boasted on Monday that the overhaul was underway, despite not having received formal approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, the agency that has jurisdiction over construction and major renovations to government buildings in the region.

“Completely separate from the White House itself, the East Wing is being fully modernized as part of this process, and will be more beautiful than ever when it is complete!” he wrote on his social media site.

One former White House resident urged citizens to pay attention to what’s happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

“It’s not his house. It’s your house. And he’s destroying it,” former first lady and 2016 presidential nominee Hillary Clinton posted on Facebook.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a congressionally chartered nonprofit, has also demanded that hammers stop swinging until regulatory agencies and the public have weighed in on the changes.

Despite the strong criticism, the construction is unlikely to be halted by the Trump allies who’ve been put in positions to sign off on the alterations. According to the Washington Post, a “pro-Trump review board” is expected to officially approve the project.

Trump’s ballroom is expected to cover approximately 90,000 square feet and seat nearly 1,000 guests. The East Wing, which was built in 1902, was last renovated in 1942.

With News Wire Services



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