Three House Democrats are taking their concerns about the demolition of the White House’s East Wing directly to the Trump administration. In a letter Thursday to President Donald Trump, the lawmakers expressed concerns over what they consider a lack of transparency, the destruction of a historic building and “the ethical integrity of the Administration it houses.”
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The letter — penned by Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Cailf., the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee; Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz.; and Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., — argues that decisions over the construction of the roughly 90,000-square-foot ballroom were done “in complete secrecy” and the White House failed to give “proper disclosure or proper consultation.”
They also raised questions about funding for the demolition and construction.
Project costs rise again
The projected cost for the project has increased to $300 million, up from an initial estimate of $200 million this summer, according to CBS News.
Trump initially said the ballroom would not “interfere” with the existing White House structure. But demolition crews began tearing down the facade of the East Wing on Monday. By Wednesday, administration officials said the entire wing would be demolished by the end of the week.
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The White House was officially given its current name in 1901 by President Theodore Roosevelt, due to its white-washed walls.
‘Incredibly disturbing’
“Essentially, it’s Donald Trump doing what he wants while the government is shut down,” Garcia told CBS News. “The images are incredibly disturbing.”
The letter asks the Trump administration to release correspondence related to the demolition, architectural blueprints, budget details, a comprehensive list of donors and legal rationale for the project. The White House has now released the names of donors, but did not specify how much each has given or plans to give.
“This has all been done very secretly, and we have no information,” Garcia said. “Show us. Show us — open it up.”
The letter has no binding legal authority to compel the administration to release information.
Trump pushes back against criticism
On Wednesday, Trump disputed accusations that he hasn’t been transparent about the project.
“I’ve shown this to everybody that would listen,” Trump said in the Oval Office while displaying renderings of the proposed gold and glass ballroom. “I think we’ve been more transparent than anybody’s ever [been].”
Americans largely disapprove of project
Polling from YouGov America, released this week, shows that 33% of U.S. adults approve of building a White House ballroom, while just 24% approve of the East Wing demolition.
Few Democrats and independents favor dismantling the East Wing and building a ballroom. A strong majority of Republicans support the ballroom addition — but fewer than half approve of demolishing the East Wing.
