Satellite imagery shows that the East Wing of the White House has been completely demolished to make room for a new ballroom project spearheaded by President Donald Trump.

The images, captured between September 26 and October 23 2025, reveal a dramatic transformation on the grounds of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as excavators clear the historic annex.

The demolition, which overturns earlier assurances that the wing would not be touched, is part of a broader renovation plan for a 90,000-square-foot ballroom expected to cost around US$300 million.

The East Wing, originally built in 1902 and expanded in 1942, housed offices of the First Lady, the White House Family Theatre and the East Garden Room.

Among the features removed or altered are at least six historic trees on the South Lawn, including magnolias planted in honour of Presidents Warren G. Harding and Franklin D. Roosevelt, and a Yoshino cherry planted in 2023 to symbolise US–Japan friendship.

Critics argue these removals and the demolition itself constitute a serious alteration of the national landmark’s fabric.

Official comments from the White House contend that all hazardous-material abatement was conducted in compliance with federal standards, and that the eventual reconstruction will preserve the mansion’s architectural character while adding a facility capable of hosting up to 1,000 guests.

Nonetheless, preservation authorities, lawmakers and architectural historians have raised concerns about the accelerated timetable and the fact that the approval and public-review processes typically required for such federal developments may have been bypassed.

The project’s scope and cost have been revised upwards during its rollout: initial announcements cited seats for approximately 650 and a cost of US$200 million; later statements by the administration reflect seating near 1,000 and a price of around US$300 million.

Despite public scepticism—recent polling shows more than half of Americans oppose the project—the administration frames the work as a modern addition to the “People’s House” funded by private donors and aimed at enhancing the White House’s event capacity.

With demolition complete and construction of the ballroom now underway, the next phase will involve formal submissions to the National Capital Planning Commission for review of the vertical build.

Observers will be monitoring whether that process will allow the public and stakeholders meaningful input into the future of America’s most emblematic residence.