Demolition begins on White House for Trump’s new ballroom

Demolition of the White House East Wing began on Monday as President Donald Trump adds a $200m ($A307 million), 90,000-square-foot ballroom.

Renderings released earlier by the White House showed that the ballroom, which the administration has said will be funded by Trump and other private donors, would be built over this area.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said over the summer that the “state ballroom” would occupy space housing the East Wing of the executive mansion, where first ladies have traditionally maintained offices.

The project fulfils a 15-year ambition by the president to construct an event space on the White House grounds that expands the building’s entertaining capacity — but also resembles the gilded spaces of his private clubs. #whitehouse #trump #donaldtrump #ballroom #usa