Construction on President Donald Trump's new White House ballroom is underway.

Trump had previously said the new ballroom wouldn't impact the existing White House structure, but a wall of the East Wing has been demolished, images show.

Trump has already made some other changes at the White House, like golden adornments in the Oval Office and a new patio in the Rose Garden, both of which mirror the aesthetic of his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago.

Will the new ballroom in Washington, D.C., mirror that of his Winter White House? See photos of the ballroom renderings for DC and photos from inside the Donald J. Trump ballroom at Mar-a-Lago:

What is Trump doing to the White House? East Wing wall demolished

Trump announced in July that he was building a new ballroom at the White House. He has long complained that large-scale events at the White House are held in tents.

Trump said construction began Oct. 20 by removing a wall of the East Wing. He called it "a knock out panel, and that goes right into the ballroom."

The East Wing traditionally houses the first lady's office.

See photos of the demolition underway:

See renderings of the new White House ballroom

At a July briefing with reporters, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the ballroom would be separate from the rest of the White House but "its theme and architectural heritage will be almost identical."

She also said it would hold 650 guests, but Trump later told NBC News the capacity would be "a little bigger," and able to hold 900 guests.

See the renderings of the new ballroom:

Ballroom in Mar-a-Lago also adorned in gold: See photos

Trump also renovated Mar-a-Lago to add a ballroom, completed in late 2004, almost 10 years after the club opened. The Palm Beach Daily News reported Trump ran into a similar issue he has bemoaned at the White House: there wasn't a big enough space to host large events inside and they had to use a large tent instead.

"We need a ballroom because of the success of Mar-a-Lago. It has been so successful that the crowds are potentially hazardous to the facility, and the ballroom could remedy this problem," Trump told the Palm Beach Daily News in 1996.

News reports indicate the first major event in the new ballroom was a Near Year's Eve party to ring in 2005. Trump and first lady Melania Trump held their wedding reception in the ballroom shortly after.

See photos of the Donald J. Trump ballroom at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

Is Trump paying for the ballroom?

Yes, Trump has said he will pay for the ballroom with his own money and private donations. It is projected to cost $250 million.

Contributing: Zac Anderson, Joey Garrison and James Powel, USA TODAY, and Kristina Webb, Palm Beach Daily News

Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: White House demolition begins for new ballroom. Will it look like Mar-a-Lago? See photos.

Reporting by Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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