The White House defended the demolition of part of the White House’s East Wing, calling the backlash “manufactured.”

The Trump administration is portraying the project as a historic enhancement of the presidency’s institutional capabilities — one consistent with a long tradition of White House renovations by previous presidents. The White House has confirmed that the ballroom is privately funded, with donations coming from Trump himself, business executives, and corporate sponsors.

Why It Matters

Demolition of a portion of the White House’s East Wing began Monday, setting off a wave of backlash from critics who say President Donald Trump 's construction of a massive new ballroom is a politicized and unnecessary transformation of the executive residence. The $250 million, 90,000-squa

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