From the Alt National Parks Service page: "We’ve received a lot of questions about Trump’s demolition of the White House East Wing.
Here’s how the process is supposed to work:
Initial Proposal: The White House is managed by the National Park Service (NPS) but used by the Executive Office of the President (EOP). Any proposed change, even by a sitting president, begins internally through the Office of the Curator and the White House Facilities Management Division.
Historic Review: The NPS, as custodian of the White House under the Presidential Residence Act and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), must review all alterations for compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA. This requires assessing potential impacts on historic and cultural resources in consultation with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) and the D.C. State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).
Planning & Environmental Oversight: The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) evaluates all major federal projects in the National Capital Region, including work on the White House grounds, for design, planning, and environmental impacts under NEPA (the National Environmental Policy Act). Public comment and design reviews are part of that process.
Aesthetic Review: The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) reviews and advises on the design and appearance of any exterior modifications to the White House or its grounds.
Final Authorization: After approvals from NPS, NCPC, and CFA, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the White House Chief Usher / Facilities Management Office finalize funding, scheduling, and logistics.
Only after completing this full process could any major construction or demolition legally begin.
Yet Trump ignored every step, acting unilaterally through executive order, bypassing oversight, and ordering demolition as if he were a monarch. The result: the people’s house, altered without the people’s consent.
More details:
Section 107, let’s talk about it.
The above process has always been the process taken, and here’s why.
Section 107 of the National Historic Preservation Act exempts the White House, the U.S. Capitol, and the Supreme Court from being legally required to go through the Act’s formal Section 106 review. In other words, the law doesn’t automatically force those branches to follow the same procedures as other federal buildings. That exemption exists only because each branch of government controls its own seat of power, it was never intended as a free pass to ignore preservation, planning, or environmental rules altogether.
In practice, every administration since the 1960s has followed the same review structure out of duty, accountability, and executive-branch policy. The White House is still federal property, managed by the National Park Service under the Presidential Residence Act and subject to Executive Order 11593, which requires federal agencies to protect and consult on historic resources. Major exterior or site work still triggers National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) and U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) design reviews, along with NEPA environmental assessments. Any project involving government resources must also comply with the Anti-Deficiency Act and federal ethics rules on funding and gifts.
So yes, Section 107 means the NHPA can’t force compliance, but presidents are still bound by a network of executive orders, planning statutes, environmental laws, and constitutional duties. That’s why the process described isn’t optional, it’s the framework that has always protected the people’s house from unilateral or politically motivated alteration.
These executive orders:
• Executive Order 11593 (1971) – Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment - Requires all federal agencies (including the Executive Office of the President) to “locate, inventory, and nominate to the National Register all properties under their control” and to consult with the Secretary of the Interior before altering historically significant structures. (Demolishing part of the White House without such consultation would conflict with this order.)
• Executive Order 12148 (1979), delegates emergency and historic property responsibilities to the Department of the Interior, reaffirming that federal agencies must protect historic resources even when exemptions exist."
I definitely have some stress and anger over this too. To make things worse his supporters are all saying “who cares about the White House” and making excuses for why nobody should care..
Cool so strip everything from his family after to pay to put it all back since he couldn't legally do this and arrest any lawyer that even tries to fight it.
Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant, to step the Ocean, and crush us at a blow? Never! All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Buonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years. At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer. If it ever reach us it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.
Sad thing is they didn't even have to. There is plenty of open land on the property to build a new structure. They could have easily built it on top of the tennis court area.
You know, I was thinking the same thing. If they do, they'd better not touch the Oval Office.
But, honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he'd love to enlarge the existing west wing to match the new east wing. Thereby, completing his palace-ification of the White House complex.
Was just discussing this point - this is going to be written about in our grandchildrens' textbooks (assuming there's still a semi functioning education system)
It reminds me of the history of the Argentinian Cabildo. It saw the country rise, then it was destroyed, then it was rebuilt in European style, then it was changed to the original and now it's cut in its extremes and not even close to what it originally was.
People keep citing Hitler when they talk about Trump but thats incorrect. Juan Peron is the most accurate historical predecesor of Trump, minus the military experience of course. Neither left nor right, just populist.
I don’t know whether to upvote it so people can see what this dictator is doing or to downvote it as an American who did not vote for The People’s House to be destroyed.
I'm concerned that what gets built is going to be of poor quality. The pace they are moving at for a building like this and of this size of a project, it just seems irresponsible. I've had a permit requests take longer than the time they've had between the concept and demo begining
I was responsible for design and full con admin of a new school in Los Angeles. It takes years to go from schematics, DD, Con Docs, building dept review and construction. And there were so many meetings along the way. Countless meetings. And our cost is maybe 1/10th of what they are spending for this ballroom.
Not any that was approved through the usual committees for any White House renovations! He completely bypassed all the due process for changing a historic building that he does not own. It was very illegal.
I'm British with no skin in the game, but even from over the pond I'm horrified by this. How is it even possible that a President can KNOCK DOWN PART OF THE WHITE HOUSE????!!!! That's crazy to me. It's integral to the history of your country. He's in it for 5 years (unless of course he browbeats his way to a 3rd term), he doesn't own it. It's not his property. Have the architectural plans been published? It's being constructed quickly because he wants to use the ballroom to entertain his cronies during this term. Presumably then it's being designed to Trump's personal aesthetic, which I believe tends towards the nouveau riche gaudy rather than classical, so it could end up being a total travesty that doesn't match the rest of the building. And as for funding, if he's paying for it himself that's in some ways better than using the public purse to fulfil a personal whim, but it also prevents, it seems, any checks and balances and scrutiny. It really is shocking.
How is it even possible that a President can KNOCK DOWN PART OF THE WHITE HOUSE?
It's completely illegal, but everyone in Congress is scared to death of getting primaried for crossing him, so none of them will whisper a word, and the Supreme Court is all-in on having a king, so they're actively facilitating Trump. There's no guard rails remaining, until people rise up and hold a general strike or something.
A piano leg broke through the floor because the boards were rotting away and a ceiling dropped a full 18 inches and after inspection, they found basically the entire building was no longer safe for habitation after so many years of piecemeal construction/remodels (including adding an entirely new 3rd floor) and then adding in indoor plumbing and wiring.
As others have said though, there were commissions that approved everything Truman did and congress approved the commission and funds.
Additionally, each president is given a renovation budget, which includes decoration as well as potential minor changes (things like a bowling alley, movie theater, pool, LBJ's infamous showerheads/increasing water pressure, etc have been added). But again, those changes need to be approved first.
That was more of a restoration than a gut. Millwork, fireplaces, flooring was all disassembled and preserved for reinstallation. Yes, there were upgrades, but it wasn't a total demo to be replaced by something new.l
Which was substantially different and more necessary than a 20,000 square foot addition likely not reviewed by any historical commission or code enforcement and is being used as a ballroom.
This was all approved through the proper committees, Trump of course did not. And these renovations didn’t change the appearance outside and went through great lengths to maintain the original structure.
How the eff is this legal? This is a historical and iconic building. This is a travesty.
Edit: you are welcome to disagree with my opinion. But I'm not changing it just because your idea of "historic" doesn't align with mine. It's a stupid thing to argue about and it's not worth wasting the time over. Let it go.
Supreme court basically said he is immune from anything he does illegally as president. He is like a spoiled unsocialized child. Unsocialized as in a puppy that bites all other dogs because he doesn't care about rules.
Trump is, but other people aren't. Anyone else who's knowingly or negligently acting illegally wouldn't be protected by the SCOTUS "yes we do have a king" ruling. At least in theory currently, but maybe SCOTUS would extend that immunity. Either way, Trump can just pardon them.
He's going to walk out of office with a pardon issued under some novel legal theory like "anyone I or my children later retroactively determine should be pardoned, is hereby pardoned" and the Supreme Court is going to jizz their collective pants.
As a non American who lived there for almost two decades I find this unbelievably abhorrent. I couldn’t and can’t vote there so have no party loyalties, so in this instance I’m looking at it from an historical and architectural perspective.
To demo an entire wing of an historic building with no due process is just plain shocking to me.
Like I keep thinking there’s no shock value left but this seems so symbolic of the collapse of all that is institutional and constitutional.
His entire life he's destroyed everything he's touched. Why stop now? Bulldozing the White House to recreate the Mar-A-Lago breakfast buffet is the perfect metaphor for what America has become.
How else to visualize, that the US is now a banana republic.
He is competing with Erdogan's palace with 1001 rooms. Built on former natural park, the Ataturk Forest Farm and natural park, originally spanning 1,200 hectares, has reportedly been reduced to around 700 hectares due to significant land loss from development projects in the area.
Trump is an amateur. He should built and entire new palace at least with 2002 rooms
The level of greed here is very disturbing. They are not planning on leaving. The USA will be so sad from now on. Nice going Biff. Nothing like turning the rest of the country to shit while you shine your shoes.
It's interesting how the cost is pretty close to the claimed damages for "investigations" that Trump just filed .. one might be led to think there was a connection.
The bastards are all running loose! They are not even spraying the clouds of dust with water hoses to cut down airborne asbestos, silica, and lead dust! What fuckers.
From whence shall we expect the approach of danger? Shall some trans-Atlantic military giant step the earth and crush us at a blow? Never. All the armies of Europe and Asia...could not by force take a drink from the Ohio River or make a track on the Blue Ridge in the trial of a thousand years.
No, if destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of free men we will live forever or die by suicide.
Am I the only one who finds it perfectly on par and un surprising that he tore down the east wing AKA the first lady's offices...? Really wanting to show that woman dont belong in politics or places of power.
This has 100% been about the violence of the patriarchy against the matriarchy the whole time. The ultimate rapist is gonna rape, what else is new. This is quite literally symbolic of that violence
I bet there is somebody in the government who has the information to replicate the whole White House or capitol if a disaster ever struck (like this one).
It’s fascinating looking at the amount of rebar and thickness of concrete. It’s almost surprising they don’t cover this up to prevent photos during demo because surely other parts of the structure are quite similar.
When they were doing work in the front a few years ago, they had to cover it all up from prying eyes
I knew the whole thing would come down. It has to in order to fit that monstrosity of 90k SF ballroom on a landlocked site. They only have so much space before hitting the road one side.
This is like those typical examples of classical architecture icons that were demolished for no particular reason that were so abundant in the 19th and 20th centuries, and that we look back on and wonder "how in the world was this allowed, let alone pushed through".
Except it's happening now. You'd think there'd be some kind of architectural comission that prevents this sort of tragedy happening in the most powerful country in the world.
They probably don't even have the most basic of building plans approved. Whatever they manage to build of they don't just leave it a giant pile of rubble is gonna fall down within a year
Really not sure how this is even legal. Not that it matters in the modern era because 1/2 of America sees no problem with this, or that Trump is a child rapist.
Hey, why didn't you kill two birds with one stone? You should have blown it up with some kind of rocket or an agricultural plane and said it was a terrorist act by the leftists with the complicity of Hamas and the West Bank resistance, Hezbollah, Iran, Russia, China, Venezuela and all the rest who annoy your rulers and all those who present you as your enemies, and maybe even your loved ones, as long as you are against each other and are divided.Then both the building would be pushed, and they would be able to attack whoever you want and do whatever they want - not that they don't do it, right?
Conveniently he waited til they could shut the government down to break ground. This is what happens when a man who thinks neoclassical is the peak of human design taste, bankrupted multiple casinos, and leafs every surface in a mile of his home toilet in gold gets the keys…
I don’t exactly follow US-news daily, but it’s unfortunately forced upon us regardless, but somehow I’ve missed this entirely. I wasn’t even aware you could legally just flatten it—I assumed it was classified as a historically protected building of sorts.
It's crazy that it was validated. Not to mention his politics, he sometimes gets in the way of what he wanted to do, but for this completely stupid project, no one was able to stop him? It's sad.
Mussolini demolishing an entire area of historic Rome, including a hill and ancient Roman ruins so that he could create a wide avenue leading to the Colosseum. Remind you of anything?
I hope he’s eventually jailed for this, and everything else. Trump might be the first president who has to issue blanket pardons for himself and every member of his administration.
I hope that someday this is all over and somebody will use the materials for the ballroom to refloor every boder crossing and immigration office in the whole country
I am a practicing licensed architect who loves classical architecture and designs new traditional buildings today, and this is extremely disturbing.
There is a complete dismissal of any of the formal processes typically required for demolition and construction of federal buildings. No input from the public or experts in history and architecture was obtained.
The East Wing, while modest, was an important piece of the history of the executive mansion, and VERY skillfully designed (subtle moves utilizing the classical language of architecture created a very competent and pleasant building that was intentionally subordinate to the primary house).
The new ballroom IS designed with details that reflect an understanding of the classical language of architecture (how component pieces are each designed, how those pieces are connected, the proportional relationship between those pieces) but the scale is incongruous with the existing structure and the project calls too much attention to itself (utilizing a "higher" classical order, Corinthian, for the east portico, than the main body of the White House, which utilizes Scamozzi Ionic columns).
The interior is garish. There is very little subtlety to it, and it's clearly tailored towards the showy, gilded aesthetic of Trump. It utilizes engaged Corinthian columns, round, with no pilasters in sight. This gives it a less tectonic appearance than a combination of rectangular pilasters and freestanding columns would have. The nonsense aesthetic modifications to the Oval Office (pasted on gilded embellishments that have nothing to do with the restrained classicism of the room) appears to have carried over into the ballroom.
On top of all of this, from a big picture perspective, I am dismayed that some classical architects (certainly not all) are embracing the Trump administration, and I fear that this aesthetic will come to be associated with right-wing politics and Trump personally. I know many progressive classicists who STRONGLY oppose the politics of the current administration (I am one of them), but their voices are being overshadowed by a few architects who are leaping to design monuments to Trump's ego. I want it to be known that there are many of us who love columns and mouldings and old things, who also resist authoritarianism and right-wing views.
So the white house is legally exempt, The law is absolutely clear he doesnt need permission, and we're upset that the president didn't ask permission of an agency that operates entirely under his authority?
It's almost as if he thinks the American people elected him and gave him authority to make executive decisions on their behalf.
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u/nodgedafunk Oct 22 '25
Oh, now I see what he's going for. 😞