White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the Trump administration's demolition of the White House East Wing in order to construct a new ballroom, urging Americans to "trust the process" and vowing the new ballroom will be "magnificent."

Leavitt was asked at the White House briefing Thursday about Trump's previous comments that his planned ballroom project wouldn't interfere with the current structure.

She responded that the administration made clear from the start that the East Wing would have to be "modernized."

She also said "plans changed" when Trump heard from architects and the builders behind the project.

"The plans changed when the president heard counsel from the architects and the construction companies who said that in order for this East Wing to be modern and beautiful for many, many years to come, for it to be a truly strong and stable structure, this phase one that we're now in was necessary and the president wants to do right by the people's house," she said.

Leavitt also maintained that Trump was acting legally by demolishing the East Wing without a permit from the National Capital Planning Commission, insisting "the tearing down" did not require a "submission."

"Only for vertical construction will a submission be required," Leavitt said. "That's a legal opinion from them and we are following that opinion."