WASHINGTON (AP) — Stewart McLaughlin knew it was coming.
An entire wing of the White House, which he called “the most special and important building on earth,” was scheduled to be replaced by another. make way for the ballroom that president donald trump I would like to extend the building.
But when McLaughlin, president of the White House Historical Society, saw the first image, Backhoe destroying the east buildingbut it was still a bit of a shock.
“It was a little bit of an uncomfortable moment because when things happen in reality, they give us a slightly different impression than what’s happening in theory,” McLaughlin told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview Tuesday.
McLoughlin, who has led the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for more than a decade, did not take a position on the change. That’s not his job. “Our mission is not to make something happen, not to prevent it from happening, but to document what actually happens, what happens in this great home that we call the White House,” he said.
But he said there was a silver lining among the “disturbing” images, saying they were increasing public interest in the history of the White House.
“What’s happened since then is pretty amazing in that in the last two weeks more and more people have started talking about the history of the White House, focusing on the history of the White House, learning what the East Wing is, what the West Wing is…what are the spaces in this building that we just call the White House,” McLoughlin said.
President Trump destroys East Wing
The general public has come to know that, Demolition work on October 20th Photos of construction equipment breaking into the building began circulating online, sparking protests from Democrats and preservationists.
Within days, the entire two-story east wing will be completed. The First Lady’s traditional base of operations And their staff is gone too. Demolition also included a covered walkway between the White House, a family movie theater, and a garden dedicated to First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.
What Trump was talking about build a ballroom For years, he pushed that vision forward and was re-elected in January. His proposal calls for a 90,000-square-foot building that could accommodate 1,000 people, nearly twice the size of the 55,000-square-foot White House itself. Officials said the plan also includes construction of a more modern east wing.
The Republican president ordered the demolition even though the ballroom had not yet received approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, one of several bodies tasked with approving additions to federal buildings and grounds. The White House has not yet submitted its ballroom plans for committee review because it is closed during the government shutdown.
President Trump appointed advocates to the Planning Commission in July. On Tuesday, he also dismissed six members of the Commission on Fine Arts, a group of architectural experts that advises the federal government on historic preservation and public buildings. A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly on personnel decisions, said new members would be appointed who would be more aligned with Trump’s policies. The Washington Post first reported the shooting.
Artworks and furniture from the east wing are preserved.
McLaughlin said it was the job of White House curators and their staff to carefully extract, catalog and preserve the artwork, official portraits of former first ladies and East Wing furniture.
The White House Historical Society has no decision-making role regarding construction. But the administration is working with the White House to prepare for changes.
“I’ve known since late summer that the East Wing staff had relocated. In fact, the last time I visited was on August 28, the last day of my tour,” McLoughlin said.
McLaughlin said the organization worked with curators and lead guides to use 3D scanning technology to “capture every room, space, nook and cranny of the east wing, whether it’s a molding or a hinge or a doorknob or whatever, to the -nth degree” to digitally recreate it as an exhibit and teach the history of the space.
Photographers also recorded the building being demolished.
It will be some time before the images are released, but McLoughlin said the items were found when the flooring was removed and walls were uncovered. “My recollection is that there were no living people there, so they will be a history lesson.”
The White House has grown over the years.
President Trump’s aides have countered criticism of the demolition by arguing that other presidents have also made changes to the White House. President Trump said the White House needs more entertainment space.
McLoughlin said the building has continued to evolve since its original appearance in 1792.
“We need to modernize and grow,” he said, noting that generations of White House social secretaries have complained about limited space for entertaining. “But how it’s done, how it’s accomplished and what the results are is really the vision of the president who takes on that project.”
Activities of the White House Historical Society
Jacqueline Kennedy founded the Historical Society in 1961 with the goal of preserving the museum quality of the interior of the White House and educating the public. It receives no government funding and raises funds primarily through private donations and retail merchandise sales.
McLoughlin said it is not the association’s mission to take a position on construction. Its primary mission is to preserve some of the historic bedrooms on the upper floors of the state capitol and private residence, and to teach the history of the White House, which is an accredited museum. The State Floor consists of the Green, Blue, and Red Rooms, East Room, State Dining Room, Cross Hall, and Grand Foyer.
“What we support is that we don’t support it, or we won’t support it,” McLoughlin said. “Our purpose is to understand, to get the details.”
McLaughlin said he has seen a sharp increase in attendance at the free education center the organization opened in September 2024 one block from the White House. The People’s House: The White House Experience is open seven days a week, seven days a week, including during the current government shutdown.
The education center was busiest over the weekend of Oct. 17-19, with about 1,500 visitors per day, up from a previous average of 900, he said.
