Heavy machinery tears down section of the White House for new ballroom

US President Donald Trump held a glitzy dinner to thank billionaires and top companies for donating to the new $250 million ballroom he is building at the White House. The guests included representatives from tech firms like Amazon, Apple, Meta, Google, Microsoft and Palantir and defense giant Lockheed Martin, according to US media citing a White House guest list.

Trump has said that the ballroom will be built entirely with private money. It includes $22 million from a settlement with YouTube in September. Trump opened the curtains of the East Room to show guests where work has started on the giant ballroom, the biggest addition to the White House in more than a century.