A HISTORIC PIECE OF WHITE HOUSE IS DISAPPEARING.

 

DEMOLITION OF THE EAST WING HAS BEGUN, MAKING WAY FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP’S NEW $250 MILLION BALLROOM.

 

FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT CONSTRUCTED THE PRIMARY STRUCTURE OF THE EAST WING IN 1942, AND IT’S LONG SERVED AS THE MAIN ENTRY POINT FOR GUESTS AND TOURISTS.

 

IT WAS DESIGNED AS A GRACEFUL PASSAGE TOWARD THE WHITE HOUSE RESIDENCE, LINED WITH PORTRAITS OF FIRST LADIES AND FRAMED TO THE SOUTH BY THE JACQUELINE KENNEDY GARDEN.

 

BEYOND ITS HISTORIC HALLS, THE EAST WING ALSO HOUSES THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY AND THE WHITE HOUSE SOCIAL OFFICE.

 

THE WHITE HOUSE ON MONDAY STARTED TEARING DOWN PART OF THE EAST WING TO BUILD PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S BALLROOM. 

 

THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT HAS SAID HE'S ADDING A 90,000-SQUARE-FOOT BALLROOM BECAUSE THE EAST ROOM, THE LARGEST ROOM IN THE WHITE HOUSE WITH AN APPROXIMATELY 200-PERSON CAPACITY, IS TOO SMALL.

 

TRUMP SAID THE BALLROOM WILL FIT 999 PEOPLE.