(Radio Iowa) – Demolition work is underway to tear down the entire East Wing of the White House to clear the way for a new 90-thousand square foot ballroom President Trump wants to build. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says Trump isn’t doing anything that hasn’t been done by previous residents of the executive mansion.

“Past presidents have decided to change things at the White House,” Grassley says. “I don’t recall any objections through history of the times where it’s been changed from time to time.” Trump estimates the new ballroom will cost 300-million dollars, up from an estimate of 200-million just days ago, but he insists it’s all from private donations, not taxpayer dollars.

Reports say several corporations have contributed to the project, including: Apple, Amazon, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Google, Comcast and Meta. As for the ballooning nine-figure price tag, Grassley says “hardly anything” gets done at the original estimated cost.