White House demolished amid ongoing US government shutdown

A part of White House building has been demolished amid the U.S. government shutdown going on for the last 20 days and there’s no end in sight as the Senate has failed for the 11th time to advance the funding bill.

The demolition was carried out as part of President Donald Trump’s plan to construct a 90,000-square-foot ballroom in the Oval Office.

According to New York Times, the ballroom construction will double the size of the existing structure of the White House.

Since Trump himself has made a name in real estate previously, he has ordered several renovations since taking office.

The Oval office and the cabinet room are already dipping in gold and Kennedy Center is also undergoing renovation along with many other parts of one of the most recognizable buildings in the world.

The demolition was carried out on Monday, October 20, 2025, and a track excavator was used to tear apart the structure.

During his meeting with the collegiate baseball championship team, Trump told them that he is building a ball room, adding, “We have a lot of construction going on. It just started today.” 

The project of White House expansion was announced in a briefing for reporters at the White House on July 31, 2025 by press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

She said the decision was made in light of growing need of managing larger events as the administration used to outsource outdoor tents to organize larger events.

The $200 million project is being entirely funded by private donations including the President’s own contributions.