Trump's week in review: East Wing demolished; ballroom construction begins; new Russia sanctions

1. Construction of the new White House ballroom begins, infuriating Trump critics

The Trump administration's plans to construct a 90,000-square-foot ballroom at the White House took a major step forward this week, as construction crews largely demolished the East Wing to make way for the new facility. The White House has cited the construction of the ballroom, which will have a seating capacity of 650, as a necessary step to ensure that major events can take place there without the need to construct "a large and unsightly tent."

A photograph of the demolition of the facade went viral this week, prompting outrage from critics of the Trump administration. Former first lady and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton accused Trump, her rival in the 2016 presidential election, of "destroying" the White House while former Rep. Joe Walsh, R-Ill., called the planned ballroom an "abomination."

A Virginia couple filed a federal lawsuit seeking to halt development of the ballroom, claiming the administration is violating the National Capital Planning Act of 1952 by "moving forward with the demolition of the East Wing of the White House before submitting the final plans for the construction of a new ballroom to the National Capital Planning Commission." 

The White House released a statement reacting to the criticism, which it described as "manufactured outrage." Trump officials contend the construction process follows legal and historical precedent.

"Unhinged leftists and their Fake News allies are clutching their pearls over President Donald J. Trump's visionary addition of a grand, privately funded ballroom to the White House — a bold, necessary addition that echoes the storied history of improvements and renovations from commanders-in-chief to keep the executive residence as a beacon of American excellence."