First Lady Melania Trump has privately voiced discomfort with her husband’s contentious plan to tear down the White House East Wing and has tried to distance herself from the large ballroom initiative, according to administration officials who spoke with The Wall Street Journal.
The Journal, citing unnamed White House insiders, said Melania Trump questioned the need to remove the East Wing and told confidants that she had no role in starting the project.
President Donald Trump authorized the demolition of the Roosevelt-era East Wing to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom, reversing an earlier assurance that the structure would stay intact. He had previously stated the ballroom would be added alongside the wing without altering the historic building, highlighting his respect for the White House.
Photos and videos showing heavy machinery ripping into the structure circulated widely online, prompting strong public reaction. The destruction is significant enough to appear in satellite images.
The project’s estimated cost has risen from $200 million to at least $400 million, with Trump claiming private donors will cover the expenses. Updated plans raise capacity to more than 1,000 attendees, up from the original 650. The ballroom will be nearly twice the size of the White House’s 55,000-square-foot main residence.
Stephanie Grisham, Melania Trump’s former chief of staff and now a critic of the president, told CNN she was troubled by the demolition. She emphasized how quickly it happened, bypassing the typical review procedures for White House alterations. Grisham said she never expected the East Wing to be taken down within days, as though it were unsafe.
The administration still has not submitted its ballroom plan to the National Capital Planning Commission, the federal body that oversees government-property construction. Will Scharf, the White House staff secretary appointed by Trump to the commission in July 2025, maintained that while new building plans need approval, demolition does not.
On Oct. 21, the National Trust for Historic Preservation asked the White House to halt demolition until they could review the project. The group cautioned that the proposed building’s size and height could overshadow the White House and disrupt the architectural symmetry between the residence and its two smaller wings.
The letter stated: “As we approach the 250th anniversary of our country’s founding, the preservation of historic places that represent our nation’s history has never been more relevant or important.”
When Reuters reporter Jeff Mason pressed Trump about the project’s transparency on Oct. 23, the president responded sharply. He said: “I haven’t been transparent? Really? I’ve shown this to everybody that would listen. Third-rate reporters didn’t see it because they didn’t look.”
Even though Melania Trump raised concerns about the demolition, sources previously told People that she supported her husband’s renovation ideas because they made the White House feel more like their Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. A Florida-based source said the couple preferred life in Palm Beach, effectively bringing elements of Mar-a-Lago to Washington.
A member of the Mar-a-Lago club told People that the couple is proud of the aesthetic of their Florida estate and enjoys showcasing it, making it unsurprising that they would revamp the historic presidential mansion. The source said the Trumps often aim to replicate Mar-a-Lago in the White House, with the president deeply involved in décor decisions at their Florida home.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle defended the project, saying Trump is committed to Making America Great Again, which includes his historic effort to enhance the White House—without costing taxpayers. He added that future presidents and the American public will benefit from the upgrades.
Officials have said the East Wing offices will eventually be reconstructed as part of the broader plan.
The project survived a significant legal challenge on Feb. 26, 2026, when U.S. District Judge Richard Leon dismissed a lawsuit from the National Trust for Historic Preservation aimed at stopping construction, finding the group unlikely to succeed on its key claims. However, he allowed the organization to amend its lawsuit to challenge Trump’s use of private financing without congressional approval.
Separately, the Commission of Fine Arts unanimously approved the renovation on Feb. 19, and the National Capital Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on March 5, 2026, with written feedback accepted through March 4.
The project continues to face scrutiny over its lavish design, the absence of public consultation before demolition began, ongoing asbestos-related lawsuits from the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, and concerns about bypassing Congress to rely on private funding for a $400 million transformation of a national landmark.
Despite the ongoing controversy, the administration says above-ground construction could begin as soon as April 2026, with the goal of completing the ballroom before the end of Trump’s term.