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Stewart McLaurin knew it was coming.
a whole wing of white HouseA building he calls “the most special, important building on the planet” was being replaced to make way for the presidential ballroom. donald trump Wants to add to building.
But when McLaurin, president of the White House Historical Association, saw the first photos of backhoes tearing up the East Wing, it was still a bit of a shock.
“When the reality of things happen, they hit us a little differently than the theory of things happening, so it was a little bit of an unsettling moment,” McLaurin told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview Tuesday.
McLaurin, who has led the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for more than a decade, did not take a stance on the changes. This is not his job. He said, “Our job is not to make things happen or stop things from happening – but to document what happens, what happens in this great house we call the White House.”
But he said he sees a silver lining in the “jarring” photos: They have increased public interest in the history of the White House.
“What’s happened since then is so amazing is that in the last two weeks, more people are talking about the history of the White House, focusing on the history of the White House, learning what the East Wing is, what the East Wing is West Wing …What are the spaces in this building we call the White House,” McLaurin said.
Trump demolished the East Wing
The general public became aware of the demolition work on October 20 when photos of construction equipment breaking into the building began circulating online, sparking outrage. democratConservationists and others.
Within days, the entire two-story East Wing – the traditional base of operations for first ladies and their staff – was gone. The demolition included a covered walkway between the White House, a family movie theater, and a garden dedicated to the First Lady. Jacqueline Kennedy,
Trump had talked about building the ballroom for years, and advanced his vision upon returning to office in January. His proposal calls for a 90,000-square-foot structure, almost double the size of the 55,000-square-foot White House and capable of accommodating 1,000 people. Officials have said the plan also includes construction of a more modern east wing.
The Republican president ordered the demolition despite not yet having sign-off for the ballroom construction from the National Capital Planning Commission, one of several entities that play a role in approving increases in federal buildings and property. The White House has not yet submitted ballroom plans for the commission’s review because it is closed during the government shutdown.
East Wing art and furnishings preserved
It was the job of the White House curator and his staff to carefully remove, catalog and store the art, official portraits of former first ladies and furnishings from the East Wing, McLaurin said.
The White House Historical Association does not have a decision-making role in the construction. But it is working with the White House to prepare for the changes.
McLaurin said, “We knew since the end of the summer that the East Wing staff had moved out. I actually did my last visit on August 28, the last day of the tour.”
Working with the curator and chief usher, the association used 3D scanning technology “so that every room, space, nook and cranny of the East Wing, whether it was molding or hinges or door handles or whatever, was captured to the nth degree” to be digitally created as an exhibit or to teach the history of that space, McLaurin said.
A photographer also documented the building as it was being taken apart.
It will be some time before any images become available, but McLaurin said that when the floors were scooped up and the wall coverings were pulled back, the objects were found, “There were no living people there. So they will be lessons in history.”
The White House has evolved over the years
Trump’s allies have responded to criticism of the demolition by arguing that other presidents have also made changes to the White House. Trump has said that the White House needs a bigger entertainment venue.
The building is being developed to resemble what it looked like when it was built in 1792, McLaurin said.
“There is a need for modernization and evolution,” she said, adding that White House social secretaries for generations have been mindful of the limitations of entertainment space. “But how it’s done and how it’s accomplished and what the outcome is is really the vision of the president who initiates that project.”
What does the White House Historical Association do
Jacqueline Kennedy created the Historical Association in 1961 to help preserve the museum quality of the White House interior and educate the public. It receives no government funding and raises funds mostly through private donations and retail merchandise sales.
It is not the association’s mission to take a stance on construction, McLaurin said. Its primary mandate is to preserve some of the historic bedrooms on the State Floor and private living quarters upstairs, and to teach the history of the White House as an accredited museum. The State Floor is composed of the Green, Blue and Red Rooms, the East Room and State Dining Room, the Cross Hall and the Grand Foyer.
“It’s not our intention to support or not to support,” McLaurin said. “Our job is to understand, to get the details.”
Since the demolition, McLaurin said he has seen an increase in attendance at the free educational center the association opened in September 2024, a block away from the White House. “The People’s House: A White House Experience” is open seven days a week – including during the current government shutdown.
The weekend of Oct. 17-19 was the busiest day at the educational center, he said, with about 1,500 daily visitors, up from the previous average of 900.