As excavators dug into the facet of the White House this week, photographs and movies made clear simply how dramatically President Donald Trump’s plans to construct a brand new ballroom will have an effect on the historic construction.
Now, satellite images supply a brand new perspective on the scope of the work.
A satellite picture taken Thursday morning exhibits the total East Wing of the White House has been demolished. Piles of particles define the place the constructing, which historically served as the workplace of the First Lady, as soon as stood.
In a spot that beforehand housed a portico, an excavator could be seen consolidating the rubble to be hauled away. The colonnade that led from the Executive Residence to the East Wing has additionally been practically eliminated, with solely the final part, which touches the Residence, remaining.
Nearby, building for the ballroom that may exchange the East Wing is already underway. A small space that may very well be a part of the new constructing’s basis has been excavated, and a cement mixer could be seen ready in entrance of the Treasury Department.
In footage: Trump’s East Wing demolition
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged to reporters Thursday that the scope of the challenge had grown over time. She urged the public to “trust the process” on the building and stated that the administration was being clear.
“When this plan was presented, and when these renderings, as soon as they were complete, the president directed me to come out here and to share them with all of you. I did an entire opening remarks about what this ballroom project was going to look like,” Leavitt stated from the White House briefing room. “With any construction project, there are changes over time, as you assess what the project is going to look like, and we’ll continue to keep you apprised of all of those changes, but just trust the process.”