Last week, when President Trump demolished the East Wing of the White House in order to construct his new ballroom, he also uprooted the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, a space which featured both flowers and hedges and was located next to the East Terrace Colonnade.
The garden (pictured above) also housed a pergola designed by architect I. M. Pei; it’s unclear if the structure survived the demolition, and if so, where it is currently located. Formally dedicated in 1965 by First Lady Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson, the landscape was named after her predecessor, who spearheaded the redesign of the garden prior to President Kennedy’s assassination.
“This garden, every detail of it, reflects the unfailing taste of the gifted and gracious Jacqueline Kennedy,” the first lady said at the dedication. Since then, the garden has historically been used by the first lady for outdoor receptions.
As Politico reported, “Aerial photographs posted Thursday on social media show the extent of the demolition taking place to make way for the 90,000-square-foot ballroom, with the entire East Wing gone and the lawns nearby stripped of grass.”
A view of the demolition of the East Wing.
Initially, the Trump administration said plans for the new ballroom would not alter the existing White House architecture.
“It won’t interfere with the current building. It won’t be. It’ll be near it but not touching it—and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of,” the president said. “It’s my favorite. It’s my favorite place. I love it.” Further, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said “nothing will be torn down.”
Clearly that was a lie, as the entire East Wing was demolished last week, but this is hardly the first change President Trump has made to the White House. Over the past few months, has altered the decor in the Oval Office, installed massive new flagpoles on the North and South Lawns, and notably paved over the lawn of the White House Rose Garden.
An excavator works to clear rubble after the East Wing of the White House was demolished on October 23, 2025.
Much like the garden destroyed in the razing of the East Wing, the Rose Garden has long been associated with the Kennedys. Its iconic modern design was established during the Kennedy administration by philanthropist and decorator Rachel Lambert “Bunny” Mellon.
“The President had noted that the White House had no garden equal in quality or attractiveness to the gardens that he had seen and in which he had been entertained in Europe. There he had recognized the importance of gardens surrounding an official residence and their appeal to the sensibilities of all people,” Mellon would later recall. “He wanted to start, in the greatest haste, to remake the area near his office at the west end of the White House, known as the Rose Garden, into an area both useful and attractive.”
It now features a patio-like surface, complete with chairs and tables with yellow striped umbrellas.
The White House Rose Garden following Trump’s redesign of the space.
Last week, JFK and Jackie’s only grandson, Jack Schlossberg, spoke out against President Trump’s renovations to the White House on Instagram.
“My grandmother saw America in full color — Trump sees black and white. Where she planted flowers, he poured concrete. She brought life to the White House, because our landmarks should inspire and grow with our country. Her Rose Garden is gone, but the spirit of the Kennedy White House lives on — in the young at heart, the strong in spirit, and in a new generation answering the call to service,” he wrote. “A year from now, we’ll get our last chance to stop Trump. History is watching. We need leaders with courage, conviction and who actually care.”
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Caroline Hallemann is the Digital Director at Town & Country, where she covers culture, society, and entertainment, as well as the British royal family, among a variety of other topics. Caroline is also the author of the forthcoming book, The Kennedys and the Windsors, out in 2026. Prior to leading the digital team at T&C, she served as the brand’s Senior News Editor and Digital News Director, and has previously held positions at Travel + Leisure, DailyCandy, and Parenting Magazine. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and their son, Tommy. You can find her on Instagram at the handle @challemann and on TikTok at @carolinehallemann.
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