WASHINGTON >> The entire East Wing of the White House will be torn down to make way for President Donald Trump’s new ballroom, contradicting the former New York real estate magnate’s pledge that the project would not interfere with the existing U.S. landmark.

Demolition workers on Monday began ripping down the section of the White House that holds offices for the first lady and staff. Trump announced that ground had been broken on the project after images of demolition circulated in news reports, though the full extent of the tear-down only became clear two days later.

“In order to do it properly, we had to take down the existing structure,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday.

An administration official said the demolition process would likely be finished within two we

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