The demolition of the East Wing of the White House — which is being cleared to make way for President Donald Trump’s proposed $300 million ballroom — has brought plenty of scrutiny, but the rubble is reportedly being transported to a Washington golf course the president has expressed interest in renovating.
Trucks were spotted on Friday hauling loads of dirt from the demolition site and depositing them at East Potomac Park, a municipal island golf course along the Potomac River.
How the East Wing renovation started
Trump announced in July that he would build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom projected to hold up to 1,000 people. He said the $300 million cost would be covered by private donations.
Trump had argued a permanent ballroom was long needed because rooms weren’t big enough inside the White House and tents set up on the south lawn often left guests with soggy feet.
“When it rains, it’s a disaster,” Trump told reporters July 31. “It’s not a pretty sight.”
More: A piano through the floor: The controversial history of White House renovations
The destruction of the East Wing contradicted Trump’s July assurance that the new structure could be “near it but not touching it.” The project led to a public outcry, including former first lady Hillary Clinton saying “he’s destroying it” on social media Oct. 21.
The facade of the East Wing of the White House is demolished by work crews on Oct. 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. The demolition is part of President Donald Trump’s plan to build a ballroom reportedly costing $250 million on the eastern side of the White House.
But House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, who described himself as an “amateur historian,” defended the project as the latest improvement to the White House.
“President Trump is going to add the greatest improvement to the White House in the history of the building, since it was originally constructed in 1800,” Johnson told reporters Oct. 22. “The ballroom is going to be glorious. It’s going to be used for everybody. By the way, hey Democrats, if you win the White House back, you get to use it too. This is for the American people and he’s using private funds to do it. How in the world could they oppose that?”
What is East Potomac Park?
East Potomac Park is a popular city-run golf property that includes an 18-hole course, two 9-hole courses and a miniature course. As part of the National Links Trust, Tom Doak was announced in charge of a redesign of the property.
According to Politico:
The president has warmed to an idea, first presented to him by a staffer, of refurbishing and rebranding the public course sitting on the narrow strip of land in the river between National Airport and the Wharf. He even autographed a rendering of a new golden logo, nearly identical to those for the president’s other clubs, for what could be called “Washington National Golf Course.”
USA TODAY’s Bart Jansen and Janet Loehrke contributed to his report.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Rubble from Trump East Wing renovations heading to famous D.C. muni
