No Kings, No Permits: The Laws Trump May Be Ignoring in His East Wing Demolition
The White House East Wing is a National Historic Landmark. Yet Trump’s bulldozers are already rolling. Preservation laws demand transparency, but this “private” ballroom project may be trampling every safeguard meant to protect history itself.
By GOPocalypse Now
So, they’re really doing it. The East Wing, a federally protected National Historic Landmark that’s survived wars, renovations, and reality TV is being torn down to make way for Trump’s new ballroom. A ballroom.
But here’s the question no one in the MAGA press pool is asking: Are they actually following the law?
What the Law Says
The White House isn’t just any building. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark (since 1960). That means it’s subject to federal preservation law, mainly:
- The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) – Requires federal agencies to identify and evaluate effects on historic properties before approving or funding changes.
- Section 106 Review – Mandates public notice, consultation with preservation experts, and impact studies before major work begins.
- The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) – Requires environmental and cultural impact assessments for federal construction.
- Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) – Must be given a chance to review and comment on major alterations.
In other words: no president can legally bulldoze a wing of the White House without a federal paper trail longer than his campaign’s legal bills.
What’s Happening Now
Demolition crews began tearing into the East Wing before these oversight reviews were made public. The National Park Service (which manages the property) has confirmed “limited consultation” occurred but hasn’t released the required environmental or preservation findings.
Architectural historians and preservation watchdogs are already raising alarms, saying the process appears “rushed, opaque, and in possible violation of federal preservation standards.”
Even if the project is “privately funded,” it’s still taking place on federal property, meaning the NHPA and NEPA still apply.
Why It Matters
The East Wing isn’t just drywall and marble, it’s the connective tissue of American history. Built in 1942 under FDR to house wartime offices, it later became the domain of First Ladies from Jackie Kennedy to Michelle Obama.
Destroying it without proper review sets a dangerous precedent: that a sitting president can rewrite history, literally, because it clashes with his personal aesthetic.
What Should Happen Next
Congress should immediately demand:
- A public release of all environmental and preservation review documents.
- A GAO inquiry into compliance with federal landmark laws.
- Testimony from the National Park Service and White House Historical Association on whether the demolition met Section 106 requirements.
Because “I showed it to everybody” doesn’t cut it when you’re destroying history.
Final Line
If the law requires a permit to remodel your kitchen, it sure as hell requires one to demolish a wing of the White House.
No Kings. No exceptions.
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