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STORY: Demolition crews tore down part of the White House's storied East Wing on Monday (October 20) to begin building President Donald Trump's ballroom, a project he had said would not interfere with the existing landmark.

Large construction equipment was seen picking apart the facade of the building, a part of the White House complex that has housed the first lady's offices, a theater, and a visitor's entrance that welcomes foreign dignitaries.

The ballroom project is expected to cost upwards of $250 million, which Trump said in July would be paid by himself and donors.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on Monday about the demolition to the current East Wing building.

Trump announced on Monday that ground had been broken on the project after images of the demolition began circulating in news reports.

Trump, who was a real estate developer before launching his political career, has made extensive cosmetic changes to the White House, hand-picking gold ornamentation for the Oval Office and redoing the Rose Garden in the style of his golf clubs. He has also taken an interest in the capital city of Washington and surrounding area, proposing an Arc de Triomphe-style monument to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.

The current East Wing was erected in 1942, during Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration and amid World War Two, over a bunker built for the president's use in case of emergency.

But the complex sometimes strains to hold the number of employees, visitors and guests of the president who wish to attend its events. Several White House state dinners, for instance, have been hosted in a tent erected on the South Lawn.