Trump admits he didn't have to knock down the White House East Wing

Donald Trump has defended his controversial decision to demolish the White House East Wing - even though he admitted himself he could have built the ballroom without getting rid of it, but insisted this area "looked like hell".

The US President was interviewed on Fox News when Laura Ingraham first brought up the topic by mentioning former First Lady Michelle Obama’s criticism of the East Wing being knocked down to make way for Trump's $300 million ballroom.

"First of all, the East Wing was a beautiful little, tiny structure that was built many years ago, that was renovated and expanded and de-spanded and columns ripped out. It had nothing to do with the original building," Trump began.

"It was a poor, sad sight, and I could’ve built the ballroom around it, but it would not have been– we’re building one of the greatest ballrooms in the world. By the way, zero money spent by the government. Zero."

He continued, “We’re gonna have the best ballroom anywhere in the world, and I built a lot of them. You know that. You know a lot of them. This will be one of the greatest ballrooms in the world.”

Ingraham then questioned Trump on what First Lady Melania Trump makes of all this construction, noting that there was a report that she "didn't love this idea" and asked if this was true.

“She loved her little, tiny office, but you know what? She’s very smart. In about one day, she – if you would ask her now – she says it’s great,” Trump responded.

U.S. President Donald Trump displays a rendering of his proposed $250 million White House ballroom as he meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House on October 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. .Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images

“The East Wing sounds good, right? It sounds good. But the East Wing, that building was renovated 20 times, including adding a floor to the top, which was terrible. It was out of common brick, little tiny windows, it looked like hell.”

He explained, “It had nothing to do with the original building, and I didn’t want to sacrifice a great ballroom for an OK ballroom by leaving it right smack in the middle.”

Elsewhere from Indy100, The 7 tackiest changes Donald Trump has made since returning to office, and Harris joins Ronald Reagan's daughter in slamming Trump ballroom.

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