Photos: Part of White House demolished for Trump ballroom construction
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Heavy machinery tears down a section of the East Wing of the White House as construction begins on President Trump's planned ballroom, in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 20. Photo: Pedro Ugarte/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump hailed the start of demolition work at the White House East Wing on Monday ahead of construction beginning on his planned, privately funded $200 million-plus ballroom.
The big picture: Critics say the project's funding underscores how corporate America has curried favor for access to the Trump administration. But Trump said on Truth Social Monday that he's "honored to be the first President to finally get this much-needed project underway — with zero cost to the American Taxpayer!"
Go deeper: Ethics experts cringe as wealthy woo Trump with ballroom funds
