US President Donald Trump stunned the nation this week when he began tearing down the East Wing of the White House with little to no input from historic preservationists or the general public. In its place will be a 90,000-square-foot ballroom, whose size would dwarf the main building and whose price tag has more than tripled to $350 million since plans were first announced in February. Trump had previously said construction would not “interfere” with the existing structure.

The norm-defying demolition has prompted many to question its legality, given that federal historic preservation laws require historically significant properties to undergo extensive review prior to renovation. But as Kriston Capps writes, the White House — the most prominent civic building in the US — is exempt from some rules that would apply to most other projects. Today on CityLab: What to Know About Trump’s Demolition of the White House East Wing

— Linda Poon

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