Washington Monument gives new look of the White House East Wing construction

The newly reopened Washington Monument, which typically offers sprawling views of Washington, DC from 555 feet high, now provides a peek at the White House’s East Wing renovations.  

Andrew Leyden, a freelance photographer in Washington, D.C., posted photos of the scene from the top of the obelisk on X last week.

The photos show construction crews, cranes and a gaping construction site where the East Wing recently stood. President Donald Trump had the East Wing demolished last month after initially insisting construction of a 90,000-square-foot ballroom wouldn’t involve the structure’s demolition.

Photos of a bulldozer tearing through the wing’s facade went viral on social media.

The White House is now undergoing renovations to transform the site, which traditionally served as the first lady's offices.

The modern version of the East Wing was added to the White House in 1942.

Critics were outraged at the demolition because it was done without public input. In an open letter on Oct. 21, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, said it was "deeply concerned" about the project and urged the National Park Service to pause demolition until the proposed plans could go through public review.

Why was the demolition done?

In a July news release, the White House said the construction would occur to create a space for large-scale events.

"The White House is currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders and other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building entrance," the news release stated.

The ballroom is expected to be an "ornately designed and carefully crafted space" with a 650-person seating capacity, higher than the previous 200-person seating capacity in the East Room of the White House.

Its construction is estimated to cost $300 million, but Trump has said it will be funded by him and other donors. Google, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Apple are among a list of donors the White House said is paying for the addition.

What has the White House said about the criticism?

In response to the criticism, the White House said in a news release on Oct. 21 that "In the latest instance of manufactured outrage, unhinged leftists and their Fake News allies are clutching their pearls over President Donald J. Trump’s visionary addition of a grand, privately funded ballroom to the White House — a bold, necessary addition that echoes the storied history of improvements and additions from commanders-in-chief to keep the executive residence as a beacon of American excellence."