White House Memo Touts 'Excellent Preservation' During East Wing Demolition for Trump Ballroom

Contractors took steps to protect the historic White House residence during the demolition, according to the administration.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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A White House memo states that demolition crews 'excellently preserved' the White House residence when they tore down the East Wing to make way for President Donald Trump's planned ballroom. The memo details the steps taken to protect the historic building, including keeping heavy equipment at a safe distance, removing some pieces by hand, and monitoring vibration and crack movement. The National Capital Planning Commission had requested more information about the demolition, which began with little advance notice last fall and prompted a public outcry due to the lack of typical reviews and approvals for modifications to historic buildings.

Why it matters

The East Wing demolition and planned ballroom construction have been controversial, with the National Trust for Historic Preservation suing to halt the project. This memo is the White House's attempt to justify the demolition and assure the public that the historic White House residence was protected during the process.

The details

According to the memo, contractors took several steps to preserve the White House residence during the East Wing demolition. This included keeping heavy equipment at a safe distance, removing some pieces by hand, stabilizing sections of the building ahead of time, and monitoring vibration and crack movement. The White House also documented and preserved various historical items from the East Wing, including the cornerstone, furniture, columns, wood paneling, and other fixtures, with the goal of integrating some of these into the new ballroom structure.

  • The East Wing demolition began last fall with little advance notice.
  • The National Capital Planning Commission requested more details about the demolition in a recent meeting.

The players

Joshua Fisher

Director of the White House Office of Administration, who wrote the memo detailing the preservation efforts during the East Wing demolition.

National Capital Planning Commission

The agency that has jurisdiction over construction and major renovations to government buildings in the Washington, D.C. region, and had requested more information about the East Wing demolition.

National Trust for Historic Preservation

The organization that has sued to halt construction of the planned Trump ballroom, citing concerns about the lack of typical reviews and approvals for modifications to the historic White House.

Donald Trump

The former president who ordered the demolition of the East Wing to make way for a planned ballroom.

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What they’re saying

“Our goal is to ensure that some of these items will be integrated into the new structure.”

— Joshua Fisher, Director of the White House Office of Administration (Breitbart)

What’s next

The National Capital Planning Commission is scheduled to discuss the ballroom project during a March 5 meeting.

The takeaway

The White House's memo is an attempt to assuage concerns about the East Wing demolition and planned ballroom construction, which have been criticized for lacking the typical reviews and approvals required for modifications to historic buildings. However, the controversy is likely to continue as the project moves forward.