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A photographer captured images on Friday that show a demolition site in place of the White House's East Wing, which was and is set to be replaced by a ballroom championed by President Trump. 

The photos — taken by Andrew Leyden at the top of the Washington Monument, which recently reopened after the — show the site that once housed the East Wing is now mostly clear of debris, which was .

The East Wing was first built in 1902 and renovated in 1942. Its sudden demolition has drawn controversy, with it was done without enough public input and questioning the design plans for the , donor-funded ballroom. Mr. Trump had initially said the ballroom project "won't interfere with the current building."

The Trump administration has defended the move and "manufactured outrage," pointing out that other presidents have modified the White House complex and arguing that the ballroom will be a useful addition to a building with few large event spaces.

A White House official  that the administration will submit plans for the ballroom to the National Capital Planning Commission, a board that oversees federal construction in the D.C. area. But the official noted the commission usually isn't involved in demolitions.