Mum’s the word from workers on East Wing demolition, including some who say they’ve signed NDAs

By Kit Maher, CNN

(CNN) — Construction workers in lime green vests, hoodies and hard hats who have spent the last several days clearing the White House’s East Wing departed through the Treasury grounds on their way out for lunch break Thursday, passing camera crews and journalists who have been capturing their work since demolition began earlier this week. But they remained tight-lipped about their role in a project that has enthralled the American public.

“We’re not allowed to answer questions,” one worker said.

“Everything has to go through the White House press office,” said another.

Some even said they signed non-disclosure agreements.

A White House official told CNN that is routine practice. After all, the workers who operate excavators and otherwise clear the wreckage have a close-up view of facilities that house the officials who run the US government. “There is nothing unusual about requiring workers to sign NDAs, and it is standard,” the White House official told CNN, adding that certain contractors are required to have security clearances because “there are aspects of the project that deal with operational security on campus.”

The White House has been under a microscope since excavators were caught on camera tearing down the East Wing Monday, with historic preservation groups calling for a stop to the demolition and President Donald Trump’s critics asserting he had not been fully open about just how much would be destroyed in the process of building a new multi-million dollar ballroom on the grounds. David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, called it “a metaphor for broader, reckless destruction” within the Trump administration.

“For anyone who has worked at the WH, or cares about its rich history, it’s a gut punch,” Axelrod posted on X.

The White House has asserted it was transparent all along. When the project was first announced, images showed the ballroom in place of the East Wing. And during a dinner with donors to the ballroom effort last week, Trump turned away from the podium in the East Room, had the gold curtains opened and showed dinner attendees a glimpse of the East Wing outside.

“Everything out there is coming down, and we’re replacing it with one of the most beautiful ballrooms that you’ve ever seen,” Trump said.

The administration has also noted it isn’t the first to make changes, pointing to past construction projects by prior presidents. On Thursday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt flipped through photos of some of those endeavors, including the construction of the West Wing and West Terrace in 1902.

“These images look quite similar to what you and the American people are seeing today,” Leavitt said, adding that many presidents have “made their mark” on the White House complex.

But even Trump himself noted from the Oval Office Wednesday, “This obviously would be the biggest change.”

The administration has previously raised security concerns over information about the demolition. Earlier this week, a Treasury spokesperson confirmed the agency had urged employees against sharing images of the construction for that reason, after images surfaced on Monday that could have been taken from Treasury grounds. That facility sits directly next to the East Wing.

“Carelessly shared photographs of the White House complex during this process could potentially reveal sensitive items, including security features or confidential structural details. Out of an abundance of caution, we have urged our employees to avoid sharing these images,” a Treasury spokesperson told CNN.

But the construction is impossible to keep completely out of public view. It can be seen — and heard — from the North Lawn of the White House, 15th street and atop higher buildings in DC. Videos and still images of the swift demolition have filled social media and news networks, some met with incredulity and outrage. Some have pointed to Trump’s past comments that seemed to downplay the impact.

“It’s being built over on the east side, and it will be beautiful views of the Washington Monument. It won’t interfere with the current building. It’ll be near it, but not touching it and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of; it’s my favorite place,” Trump said, speaking to reporters in the Roosevelt Room.

It’s unclear how long the building of the ballroom will actually take, but the White House said it’s “expected to be completed long before the end of President Trump’s term.” The president himself said, “We’ll get it built quickly.”

CNN reached out to McCrery Architects and Clark Construction, which the White House has said are leading the projet, for comment but not yet received a response.

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