President Donald Trump on Monday acknowledged his project to demolish the White House East Wing to add a $250 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom.

The building’s many reconstruction and remodeling efforts since construction began in 1792 have drawn media, congressional and public ire.

This one has been no different.

Trump’s mention of the project, on the day the demolition began, came at an event honoring the Louisiana State University and Louisiana State University at Shreveport baseball teams.

“Right on the other side, you have a lot of construction going on, which you might hear periodically,” Trump said.

The long-touted project was addressed by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in July, with Leavitt saying the “state ballroom” would occupy space now occupied by the cur

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