White House East Wing Presentation Slated for Thursday
Final approval for the Trump administration's White House Ballroom project could come as early as March.
The public will have its first opportunity this week to learn more about the Trump administration’s construction plans for the site where the demolished White House East Wing once stood.
On Thursday, the White House is scheduled to provide an information presentation and overview of the “East Wing Modernization Project” before the National Capital Planning Commission, a board that oversees federal construction projects in Washington, D.C. They are expecting a large in-person crowd, a message posted to its website said on Monday.
“Due to strong public interest in the January 2026 meeting, NCPC anticipates a large crowd of in-person attendees. Public seating space is limited, and once capacity is reached no one else will be allowed to enter the NCPC offices and will need to leave the building. Please consider watching the meeting online at https://www.ncpc.gov/live/,” the message reads.
The White House East Wing was torn down beginning on October 20 to make way for President Donald Trump’s controversial $400 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom, sparking a wave of public outcry.
The purpose of the East Wing project, according to a project summary report made public prior to the meeting, is to “establish a permanent, secure event space within the White House grounds that provides increased capacity for official state functions, eliminates reliance on temporary tents, temporary support facilities, and associated infrastructure strains, and protects the historic integrity and cultural landscape of the White House and its grounds while maintaining a high-quality visitor experience, consistent with essential functional requirements of the Executive Residence at the White House.”
A 2000 Comprehensive Design Plan for the White House and President’s Park identified the need for expanded event space to address growing visitor demand and to provide a venue suitable for large events. Previous presidential administrations have recognized this need as an ongoing priority, the report said.
In the report, the White House outlined three functional goals for the proposed space and they are:
That the new East Wing be immediately adjacent to the White House Executive Mansion,
That there be a direct ceremonial procession from the East Room located in the residence into the venue,
And that there be an enclosed, second-story access from the Executive Mansion.
Administration officials met with the NCPC and the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA, the other board that oversees federal construction in Washington, D.C.) on Dec. 19 and formally submitted applications three days later. Final approvals could come as early as March and construction could start a month later, according to CBS News. A meeting with the CFA is slated for a week after the NCPC meeting. If the project moves ahead, it is anticipated to be completed in the summer of 2028, before Mr. Trump leaves office. The CFA is expected to review a concept design on Jan. 15.
A lawsuit was filed last month by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States in an effort to halt the construction project. In a court filing last month John Stanwich, National Park Service Liaison to the White House, stated that many historic materials from the East Wing and East Colonnade are planned to be reincorporated into the new wing. They include the East Wing cornerstone and plaque, historic fencing, historic windows, light fixtures, and the IM Pei-designed pergola from the East Garden, he said in the filing.
“Above grade structural work is not anticipated to begin until April 2026, at the earliest,” Stanwich noted in the filing. He also said that the East Colonnade “will be reconstructed as part of the Project.”
Hearings on the Trust’s request for an injunction are set for later this month, according to CBS News.
The NCPC has approval authority of the proposed project because the project is located on federal land within the District of Columbia. The National Capital Planning Act requires Commission approval for all federal public buildings and open space around such buildings within the District of Columbia. The NCPC, according to its website, does not review the demolition of buildings or general site preparation. The National Capital Planning Act, it states, does not give the Commission authority over demolitions.
In the past, the NCPC has reviewed several other projects at the White House, most recently the White House fence in 2017 and the White House Tennis Pavilion in 2019, which was a project of First Lady Melania Trump during her husband’s first term.
According to the staff report for the proposed East Wing project, the NCPC takes a holistic approach when applying the Comprehensive Plan policies in the context of the project’s needs and objectives. One of the primary areas of interest for review of this project, according to the staff report, is how the public will see and experience the East Wing modernization project from surrounding public spaces, most notably from Pennsylvania Avenue to the north of the campus and E Street, NW to the south.
The public experience aspects the commission is taking into consideration include:
How the pedestrian-level views from the north and south may/may not change from current conditions;
How the connector/colonnade between the Executive Mansion and new East Wing will be designed;
How the landscape will be designed, restored, and/or improved; and
How perimeter security and associated infrastructure might be enhanced and beautified for the public and guests to the White House and grounds.
White House aide William Scharf chairs the NCPC and two other Trump appointees also serve on the commission. In October, Trump fired the six sitting members of the CFA and is expected to appoint its new members.
The NCPC meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 1 p.m. EST and according to the commission’s website the meeting will be livestreamed.
Calendar
Jan. 9, 2026
Monte Comes to Canton: A Stylish Night Out
Get ready to dive deep into the iconic style of Jacqueline Kennedy with Monte Durham in an in-person, one-night-only event full of fashion and history at the National First Ladies Library & Museum in Canton, Ohio, from 6 to 8 p.m. EST on January 9. Celebrate the enduring legacy and legendary style of Jacqueline Kennedy as Monte, celebrity stylist and star of TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta,” shares personal reflections, cultural insights, and stories that illuminate one of the most beloved first ladies in American history. Read more
Jan. 9, 2026
Legacy Lecture: Cracking the Glass Ceiling from the East Wing
The Canton, Ohio-based National First Ladies Library & Museum presents the online event “Legacy Lecture: Cracking the Glass Ceiling from the East Wing” at noon EST on January 9. This engaging program led by Stephanie Bohnak, director of education & curatorial services at the National First Ladies Library & Museum, explores how first ladies of the United States have served as trailblazers, advancing women’s visibility, leadership, and influence from the White House to the world stage. From advocacy and public service to cultural and policy engagement, discover how these women helped redefine leadership in America. Read more
Jan. 13, 2026
White House History Live: The Mother of Washington
The White House Historical Association’s Facebook Live series, White House History Live, on Jan. 13, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. EST, features historian and author Kate Haulman who will discuss her new book, The Mother of Washington in Nineteenth-Century America. In her book she explores the role of motherhood in the commemoration of the American Revolution by tracing the creation and evolution of the Mother of Washington figure. Then as now, groups used the past to construct American motherhood and to engage with the founding past. The Mother of Washington offers fresh arguments about gender, race, and the politics of Revolutionary history and memory still contested 250 years later. View here
Jan. 15, 2026
Third Thursday: Wine & Cheese – Ohio’s Firsts & Originals
Sip, savor, and celebrate Ohio’s legacy of leadership when the Nation First Ladies Library & Museum presents on January 15 at 6:30 p.m. EST its first in-person Third Thursday event of 2026 as it explores the stories and artifacts of seven remarkable first ladies who called Ohio home—Anna Harrison, Lucy Hayes, Lucretia Garfield, Caroline Harrison, Ida McKinley, Helen Taft, and Florence Harding. Read more
Jan. 28, 2026
FLARE Virtual Program: A Tour of the Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace & Museum
The First Ladies Association for Research and Education presents the virtual program “A Tour of the Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace & Museum from 7 to 9 p.m. on Jan. 28. The program will showcase the Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace and Museum in Wytheville, Virginia. View here
Jan. 29, 2026
A Taste of History: Social Diplomacy through Food and Wine
The People’s House: A White House Experience presents an in-person evening of culture, conversation, and history in “A Taste of History: Social Diplomacy Through Food and Wine” at 6:30 p.m. EST on January 29, 2026. Enjoy a taste of thoughtfully selected wines paired with delicious small bites, all inspired by the rich culinary traditions of the White House. This guided tasting is a perfect night out for wine lovers, history buffs, and anyone looking for a unique experience. Read more