(Doug Mills | The New York Times) A member of the Secret Service walks past a cloud of demolition dust as bulldozers bring down the walls of the East Wing of the White House on Thursday morning, Oct. 23, 2025. President Donald Trump initially said construction of his 90,000-square-foot ballroom would not dismantle parts of the White House. His officials now say it is cheaper and more structurally sound to simply demolish the East Wing.