The East Wing of the White House is no more.

Aerial imagery showed the wing of the nation’s most famous building that has been used by first ladies for decades has been razed.

In its place, President Trump intends to erect a new ballroom.

Trump’s argument is that the room that is currently the largest in the White House, the East Room, is not big enough for major ceremonies.

But there has been plenty of criticism about the new project and the way Trump has gone about it.

Specifically, he had not previously suggested that the East Wing would be entirely demolished to facilitate the new structure.

Here’s what else to know.

The cost has gone up

When Trump first proposed the idea of a new ballroom, he pegged the cost at $200 million. The sum has now increased to $300 million.

Asked about the increase at Thursday’s media briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said:

“With any construction project, there are changes over time as you assess what the project is going to look like — and we’ll continue to keep you apprised of all of those changes. But just trust the process. This is going to be a magnificent addition to the White House for many years to come.”

Leavitt also emphasized a number of times that there would be no cost to taxpayers. That’s because Trump is soliciting private donations to build the ballroom.

The White House has

© The Hill