White House East Wing to Be Demolished, Contractor Blamed

When images of the East Wing of the White House first emerged this week, it was clear Donald Trump’s promise that his ballroom project wouldn’t interfere with the existing structure was bunk. The extent of the demolition is being revealed, however, and casting scrutiny and anger towards the contractor doing the work.

The entire East Wing of the property is set to be razed “within days,” multiple administration officials told NBC News. The demolition is part of a plan to expand the ballroom to a 900-person capacity, the biggest change to the East Wing in more than 80 years. And some people are protesting by focusing on the company doing the demolition.

The president has placed the price of the project at $300 million. Trump and private donors are said to be picking up the tab. Plans for the construction haven’t been officially filed, which the administration has said isn’t necessary since literal construction has yet to begin, only demolition.

An official from the White House said that “all the historical components of the East Wing” are being preserved. That hasn’t stopped preservationists and nonprofits from expressing concern about the work being done on the symbol of American leadership.

That’s created issues for Maryland-based ACECO Demolition, which appears to be the contractor demolishing the East Wing, based on photographs of equipment.

Critics are bombarding the company’s social media presences and Google with negative reviews; more than 50 popped up on the latter beginning on Monday, though many have since been deleted, according to the Washington Business Journal.

Michael Citren, the chairperson of the company, removed his LinkedIn profile online. The company did the same and its website is not functioning at this time.

ACECO did not return the Journal’s request for comment.

The company is no stranger to government projects, working on the Treasury Building, the National Archives, the Capitol and the Cannon House Office Building. It also did demolition work on the site in Arlington that gave way to an Amazon HQ2 building.

ACECO typically acts as a subcontractor to Clark Construction, which Trump identified as the general contractor of the ballroom project over the summer. That company also did not return a request for comment.

— Holden Walter-Warner