Do Americans approve of Trump’s White House demolitions? What a new poll found

More Americans oppose than support President Donald Trump’s plan to construct a large ballroom on the White House grounds, a new YouGov poll finds.

A majority also reject tearing down existing infrastructure to make space for the project.

The survey comes after workers began demolishing parts of the East Wing on Oct. 21, reigniting debate over Trump’s ballroom project, which he first announced in July. Multiple officials told NBC News the entire wing will be razed in a matter of days.

The new venue, designed by McCrery Architects, will span 90,000 square feet and is expected to be completed before 2028.

Administration officials have defended the renovation, pointing out that numerous presidents have made lasting changes to the executive mansion. Most recently, this includes President Richard Nixon adding a bowling alley in the basement and President Barack Obama converting the White House tennis court into a basketball court, too.

Officials emphasized that the project, estimated to cost $200 million, is privately funded and argue it will create much-needed space for hosting large gatherings.

Critics, meanwhile, contend the president bypassed the proper review process. Some have also characterized the undertaking — which is taking place amid the government shutdown — as a garish expression of personal vanity.

The new addition adds to a growing list of Trump’s White House modifications, which include paving over the Rose Garden, adding gold accents and installing two towering flagpoles on the lawn.

Public opinion on Trump’s renovations

In the survey — which sampled 2,038 U.S. adults on Oct. 21 — respondents were asked if they approve or disapprove of Trump’s “plans to renovate and build additions to the White House, including a new ballroom and a patio in the Rose Garden.”

Half said they strongly disapprove (38%) or somewhat disapprove (12%), while a smaller share said they strongly approve (15%) or somewhat disapprove (18%).

Most Republicans, 62%, said they were on board with the changes, while most Democrats, 77%, said they were opposed.

Respondents were also asked if they support demolishing a portion of the East Wing — erected in 1942 — as part of Trump’s renovations.

A slim majority said they strongly disapprove (40%) or somewhat disapprove (13%) of this, while less than half of this share said they strongly approve (10%) or somewhat approve (13%).

Here, again, there was a partisan split. Most Democrats, 77%, opposed razing the East Wing, while a plurality of Republicans, 44%, signaled their approval.

Lastly, the poll — which has a margin of error of 3 percentage points — asked respondents whether the new ballroom “will have a positive or negative impact on the White House.”

A plurality, 35%, said it will have a negative effect, while 23% said it will have a positive effect. Thirty percent said the overall result will be neither good nor bad.

Most Democrats, 63%, said the outcome will be negative, while a plurality of Republicans, 46%, said it will be positive.

This story was originally published October 23, 2025 at 1:42 PM with the headline "Do Americans approve of Trump’s White House demolitions? What a new poll found."