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The East Wing is not the only casualty of President Donald Trump’s planned $300 million White House State Ballroom. Satellite images obtained by ABC News show that crews have razed at least six historic trees as well as the entire Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, which was located adjacent to the East Colonnade.
Two of the trees were southern magnolias, planted in the 1940s to memorialize Presidents Warren G. Harding and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Originally planted in 1922 but replaced in 1947, the Harding tree graced the northeast entrance of the East Wing. The Roosevelt tree, meanwhile, was planted in 1942, southeast of the entrance. Both were designated as commemorative trees in the 1950s.
Al Drago//Getty Images
An aerial view of the White House grounds taken October 26, 2025.
Southern magnolias are known for their glossy leaves and large, fragrant white flowers. They typically live between 80 and 120 years, but the oldest was an Italian tree that lived 320 years.
During her time as First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy spearheaded a makeover of the garden just south of the East Colonnade, as well as the famous Rose Garden on the west side of the White House grounds, with designer Rachel “Bunny” Mellon. (Trump installed pavement on the Rose Garden earlier this year.)
Kennedy’s successor, Lady Bird Johnson, formally dedicated the garden to her in 1965. The first ladies that followed used the green space—which was planted with flowers, trees, and hedges—for outdoor receptions. The site also had a pergola designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architect I.M. Pei, though it’s unknown if the structure was salvaged during demolition.
Geoffrey Montes is an associate editor at ELLE Decor with a serious love for all things real estate and design. Before that, he worked at Architectural Digest, Galerie, and Preservation magazines, covering everything from jaw-dropping listings to world-famous architects and design events like Salone del Mobile and Homo Faber.
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