Democrat lawmakers have written to President Donald Trump demanding answers about the demolition of the White House’s East Wing for construction of a new ballroom, according to reports.
House Democrat Reps. Robert Garcia of California, Rep. Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, and Rep. Jared Huffman of California sent a Thursday-dated letter to Trump expressing alarm over what they called the "destruction of a historic landmark" and a lack of transparency surrounding the project, CBS News reported.
The lawmakers accused the administration of proceeding "in complete secrecy" without public disclosure or proper consultation.
The East Wing, home to the first lady's offices and various White House staff operations rooms, is being razed to make space for a 90,000-square-foot ballroom.
The privately funded project, which Trump said is necessary for large state dinners and events, has already begun with heavy machinery tearing into the structure.
The president has said the cost had climbed to $300 million but insisted he has been "more transparent than anybody's ever been," showing renderings of the gold-and-glass venue.
Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, called the images "incredibly disturbing" and accused Trump of acting unilaterally while the government remains shut down.
The lawmakers requested that the White House release communications, architectural plans, a donor list, and legal justifications related to the project, though they lack the authority to compel a response.
AFP reported that Trump confirmed the East Wing is being "completely" demolished after he and architects decided a full teardown was preferable to a partial renovation.
The new ballroom will reportedly seat up to 1,000 guests. While Trump claimed the East Wing is "completely separate from the White House," preservationists noted that it is physically connected to the main residence via a colonnade — making the demolition a significant alteration to the historic complex.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, created by Congress to safeguard the nation’s landmarks, has also urged the administration to halt demolition until the legally required public review process is complete.
In a letter to officials at the National Park Service and other oversight agencies, NTHP President Carol Quillen warned that the massive addition “may permanently disrupt the carefully balanced classical design of the White House.”
The group called for review by the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts, along with opportunities for public comment.
Critics across the political spectrum have voiced outrage.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared on social media, "It’s not his house. It’s your house. And he's destroying it."
Democrat lawmakers, including Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., accused Trump of overreach and disregard for history.
Meanwhile, Trump’s allies defended the move as visionary, with Eric Trump writing online that the new ballroom "will be spectacular."
The East Wing demolition marks the first major structural change to the White House in decades.
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Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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