Recently, President Trump demolished the East Wing of the White House to build a privately funded ballroom. Reports say that he has done so without a building permit or approval from the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC). According to Ryan Mancini of The Hill, the White House claims that approval is only necessary for building vertically, not for demolition.
Legality issues aside, many have wondered whether similarly significant changes to the White House have any historic precedent. The answer is not exactly.
The first President to live in the White House (at that time the “President’s House”) was Thomas Jefferson. It was designed by an Irish-American architect, James Hoban, and was primarily constructed by immigrants and enslaved African Americans, according to political scientist Daniel Treisman. After the British armies torched the President’s House during the War of 1812, Hoban once again rebuilt the house.
It wasn’t until 1902 that the West Wing of the White House was built. President Theodore Roosevelt (Republican) sought to modernize the White House by adding more living and office space, as well as plumbing and heating. Roosevelt even moved his office to the West Wing. Significantly, he also added the Eastern Terrance, which acted as an entrance for guests.
Many of Roosevelt’s successors continued to renovate the People’s House. President Taft created the Oval Office, and President Coolidge added a new roof to the West Wing.
After a 1929 fire, President Franklin Roosevelt (Teddy’s Democratic cousin) remodeled the West Wing, relocating the Oval Office to its current location and adding an underground swimming pool. FDR then created the East Wing, as we know it today, in 1942.
The East Wing’s construction was criticized for being secretive and costly during wartime. It was built primarily to cover an underground bunker. Vice President Cheney hid there after the attacks of 9/11, and President Trump was rushed there during the 2020 protests, according to Ashley Ahn of the New York Times. While the bunker is still in use today, the East Wing was primarily used for social events and houses the First Lady’s office. It is unknown where the First Lady’s office will be, nor where the President will hold social events.
Controversially, President Harry Truman added the balcony to the East Wing. This was costly, but Truman insisted upon its construction. Still, he went through the proper legal channels. Since then, most changes to the White House have been minor. Kennedy added the Rose Garden, Nixon a bowling alley, and Obama built a basketball court.
While FDR’s additions were similarly criticized for being secretive, his construction of the East Wing is much different from Trump’s destruction of it. Additionally, other Presidents have gone through the appropriate legal channels for their renovations. This means there is no real precedent for President Trump’s actions.