President Trump on Wednesday defended the $300 million expansion project that includes demolition of the White House East Wing after previously saying his ballroom construction plans "won't interfere with the current building."
The big picture: Trump is facing criticism over the construction that was initially projected to cost $200 million, with the Washington, D.C.-based National Trust for Historic Preservation saying in a letter to administration officials this week that the planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom "will overwhelm the White House itself," which is some 55,000 square feet.
