WASHINGTON — Workers this week demolished the East Wing of the White House, originally built in 1942, to make room for construction of a ballroom that President Donald Trump had said wouldn’t impact the building.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the roughly $300 million project during a Thursday briefing, saying it is the next in a long line of additions and renovations to the campus that have taken place throughout the country’s history.

“Just trust the process,” Leavitt said. “This is going to be a magnificent addition to the White House for many years to come and it’s not costing the taxpayers anything.”

The project is being fully financed by Trump and several private donors, including Amazon, Apple, Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., Caterpillar Inc., Comcast Corporation

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