White House workers bound by NDAs as East Wing demolition draws criticism
Construction workers demolishing the White House East Wing have been ordered to sign non-disclosure agreements and directed not to speak with journalists about their work on President Donald Trump’s controversial $300 million ballroom project, according to interviews conducted Thursday as the historic structure was reduced to rubble.
Workers in lime green vests and hard hats who exited through Treasury Department grounds during their lunch break refused to answer questions about the demolition. “We’re prohibited from answering questions,” one worker told reporters, while another said, “All inquiries must go through the White House press office”. Several workers confirmed they had signed NDAs before beginning work on the project.
A White House official defended the practice as standard procedure, explaining that contractors require security clearances because “elements of the project pertain to operational security on the campus”. The workers have direct access to facilities housing senior government officials, making confidentiality agreements routine for such projects, according to the administration.
Satellite imagery reveals complete destruction
Satellite photographs captured Thursday morning by commercial imaging firms show the entire East Wing has been completely demolished, with only debris remaining where the structure once stood. An excavator is visible clearing rubble in the area that formerly featured the building’s iconic portico.
The colonnade connecting the Executive Residence to the East Wing has been largely dismantled, with only the final section adjacent to the Residence still intact. Preparations for the new ballroom are already underway, with a small section excavated that may serve as part of the foundation and a cement mixer stationed nearby in front of the Treasury Department.
Treasury Department bans employee photography
The Treasury Department instructed employees not to share photographs of the demolition after images of construction equipment dismantling the East Wing facade went viral online Monday. Treasury headquarters, located adjacent to the East Wing, provides employees with a direct view of the construction site.
“Photographs of the White House complex that are shared carelessly during this phase could potentially disclose sensitive information, including security elements or private structural specifics,” a Treasury spokesperson stated.
An internal email sent Monday evening warned employees to “refrain from taking and sharing photographs of the grounds, to include the East Wing, without prior approval from the Office of Public Affairs”. The directive came after reporters and Treasury workers photographed the initial demolition work from nearby vantage points.
Despite the photography ban, the construction remains visible and audible from the North Lawn of the White House, Pennsylvania Avenue, and taller buildings throughout Washington. Videos and images of the rapid demolition have circulated widely on social media and news outlets, drawing both disbelief and anger from critics.
Democratic lawmakers incorporate demolition into marathon protest
Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon delivered a 22-hour, 39-minute speech on the Senate floor Tuesday and Wednesday protesting what he called Trump’s “authoritarian” policies, with images of the demolished East Wing featured prominently in his presentation
Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia showed Merkley a photograph of the demolished East Wing during the marathon speech and asked him to describe its significance. “Here we have evidence of the president tearing down a symbol of our Republic and building a symbol that is really a symbol about authoritarian power, about a government that serves the rich,” Merkley responded.
The speech, which began at 6:21 p.m. Tuesday and concluded at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, ranks as the third-longest in Senate history. Merkley focused on Trump administration policies, including National Guard deployments to Portland, deportation initiatives, and the termination of federal programs.
Obama adviser calls demolition a “metaphor”
David Axelrod, who served as senior adviser to President Barack Obama, described the demolition as symbolic of broader concerns about the Trump administration. “This image of the East Wing of the White House is a metaphor for broader, reckless destruction,” Axelrod wrote on X.
“The ballroom that will go up will be a garish monument to vanity, corruption and excess. For anyone who’s worked at the White House, or cares about its history, it’s a gut punch,” Axelrod added.
The criticism reflects wider public sentiment captured in polling data. A YouGov America survey found that 50 percent of respondents disapprove of the overall White House renovation, while only 33 percent support it. Additionally, 53 percent opposed the destruction of the East Wing, compared to 24 percent who backed Trump’s redesign of the structure originally built in 1902.
Partisan divide deepens over project
Congressional reaction to the demolition has split sharply along party lines. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the project by comparing it to previous White House renovations, including Franklin Roosevelt’s swimming pool addition and Barack Obama’s basketball court adaptation.
“The ballroom is going to be glorious,” Johnson stated, adding that “if you all take back the White House, it’s yours to use too”.
Democratic lawmakers have incorporated the demolition images into their criticism of the Trump administration during the ongoing government shutdown. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump in the 2016 presidential election, wrote on X: “It’s not his house. It’s your house. And he’s destroying it”.
Administration defends expanded scope
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged Thursday that the project’s scope has evolved since its initial announcement but urged Americans to “trust the process”. She emphasized that the administration has been transparent about the construction plans from the outset.
“With any construction endeavor, modifications occur as you evaluate the project’s vision, and we will keep you informed of all those adjustments, but please trust the process,” Leavitt stated during Thursday’s press briefing.
Trump himself acknowledged Wednesday that the ballroom project represents “the biggest change” to the White House in its history, despite initially promising in July that construction would not “interfere with the current building”. The president explained that after consulting with architects, officials determined that demolishing the existing East Wing was necessary to execute the project properly.
The demolition has proceeded without approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, the federal agency typically responsible for reviewing construction projects on government buildings in Washington. Will Scharf, the commission’s Trump-appointed chairman who also serves as White House staff secretary, has maintained that the agency lacks jurisdiction over demolition activities.
Construction firms McCrery Architects and Clark Construction are leading the project, which Trump now estimates will cost $300 million—an increase from the initially announced $200 million price tag. The administration has stated that all funding comes from private donations, with no taxpayer money involved, though a comprehensive donor list has not yet been released.