Magazine editors have relied on the image of Donald Trump taking a wrecking ball to the executive branch as an easy metaphor for years now. But the destruction began for real on Monday as the president commenced his makeover of the White House East Wing to add a grand $250 million ballroom .
The Washington Post first reported that a backhoe was tearing through the outer façade of the East Wing, which has historically served as the office for the First Lady. Though their photo looks like the the excavator is tearing into the wing dating back to 1902, a White House official confirmed with the Post that efforts to preserve the building’s historical aspects began weeks ago.
In July, President Trump promised that his ballroom project would not “interfere” with the “current” Whit