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At President Donald Trump’s direction, crews on Monday started tearing down part of the White House’s East Wing to build a new ballroom Trump has championed, despite lacking approval for construction from the federal agency that oversees such projects.
Although Trump said in July the ballroom would not interfere with the mansion itself, dramatic photos of the demolition work Monday showed construction equipment tearing into the East Wing façade and windows and other building parts in tatters on the ground.
The White House has moved ahead despite not yet having sign-off from the National Capital Planning Commission, which approves construction work to government buildings in the Washington area. Its chairman, Will Scharf, who is also the White House staff secretary and one of Trump’s top aides, said that the agency does not have jurisdiction over demolition work for buildings on federal property, only construction.
Other news we’re following:
- Trump signs $8.5 billion rare earths deal with Australian prime minister: Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a critical minerals deal Monday at the White House, making good on U.S. interest in Australia’s rich rare-earth resources as a potential counterpoint to China’s new minerals export restrictions.
- Special envoy visits Israel: Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are in Israel Monday to shore up the tenuous ceasefire that’s holding in Gaza, a day after the fragile deal faced its first major flareup with Israel threatening to halt aid transfers after it said Hamas militants had killed two soldiers.
- Tariffs on Colombia: The U.S. will slash assistance to Colombia and enact tariffs on its exports because the country’s leader, Gustavo Petro, “does nothing to stop” drug production, Trump said Sunday, escalating the friction between Washington and one of its closest allies in Latin America.
