Associated Press photos show the entire White House East Wing has been demolished as President Donald Trump moves forward with a ballroom construction

President Donald Trump is demolishing the entire East Wing of the White House to build a ballroom at the property, he said Wednesday, in a move exceeding the original scope of the project and prompting controversy over the extent of the construction.

President Trump is demolishing the entire East Wing of the White House to make way for a ballroom. Over the summer, Mr. Trump had said that the main building wouldn’t be affected by the construction.

Construction started this week on the $250 million ballroom that President Donald Trump is adding to the White House as construction crews began tearing down the facade of the East Wing, where the new space is being built.

Donald Trump Jr. says Democrats have "lost the plot" over White House ballroom controversy as critics slam demolition of East Wing for privately funded renovation project.

President Trump initially said the ballroom construction 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.

Dramatic photos of the demolition work that began Monday showed construction equipment tearing into the East Wing façade and windows and other building parts in tatters on the ground.

Barbra Streisand blasted President Donald Trump’s bulldozing of the White House for his ballroom renovations and described it as a symbol of democracy’s “destruction.” “Trump lied when he said he would not disturb the existing White House for his ridiculous ballroom,