In its 225-year history, the White House has been burned by British troops, reconstructed, expanded, and gut-renovated. This past week, it was partly demolished by its current occupant, who is building a huge ballroom.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the complete demolition of the White House East Wing, claiming that historic property may be a serious health risk. “I think this was a judgement call on the president. The president is a master builder,” Bessent told NBC’s Meet the Press from Malaysia, where Donald Trump is attending a diplomatic summit.

The almost 4,000-square-foot house sits on four lots, an unusual amount of land for the area.

House Speaker Mike Johnson canceled legislative session for another week in a bid to pressure Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer amid the government shutdown.

Some Trump administration officials, including at the White House, have expressed frustration with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in recent weeks as internal wrangling over who will lead NASA spilled into public view,

In an exclusive interview, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that he will consider a presidential campaign after the 2026 midterm elections.