Astonishing pictures have emerged showing demolition of the East Wing of the White House as construction begins on President Donald Trump’s $US200 million ($A308 million), 8400-square-metre ballroom.

“I am pleased to announce that ground has been broken on the White House grounds to build the new, big, beautiful White House Ballroom,” Trump posted on his Truth Social site on Monday night (local time).

“Completely separate from the White House itself, the East Wing is being fully modernised as part of this process, and will be more beautiful than ever when it is complete!”

Earlier, an excavator could be seen tearing down portions of the East Wing, including windows and massive chunks of a covered entryway.

Video and images emerged from closer-up, showing areas of the roof torn down and an excavator tearing through the interior.

The Washington Post reported that Secret Service staff and others watched the demolition from the steps of the US Treasury Department. The demolition could reportedly be heard on the White House campus.

As the images and footage began to spread online, The Wall Street Journal reported that Treasury Department staff had been banned from sharing them.

Monday’s developments follow the start of ground works on the White House South Lawn earlier this month.

“It just started today, so that’s good luck,” Trump said during an event in the East Room on Monday – and just hours after he hosted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in White House cabinet room for his first face-to-face meeting.

“I don’t think it will be topped.”

Trump has touted the ballroom as a space where he and future presidents can hold state dinners, and gatherings with other notable figures.

“We’ve been planning it for a long time,” he said in August.

“They’ve wanted a ballroom at the White House for more than 150 years. There’s never been a president that was good at ballrooms. I’m really good.”

An interior rendering of the new White House ballroom. Image: The White House

The White House released plans and renderings for the new structure, which the administration has said will be funded by Trump and other private donors, in July.

“The project will begin in September 2025, and it is expected to be completed long before the end of President Trump’s term,” it said.

The images show it will resemble the gilded spaces of Trump’s private clubs, with gold and crystal chandeliers, columns, a coffered ceiling with gold inlays, gold floor lamps and a checquered marble floor.

It is just one addition Trump has made to the White House since returning in January. He has also installed giant flagpoles, controversially paved over the famed Rose Garden and decorated the Oval Office in gold.

An external rendering of the new structure to one side of the existing White House building. Image: The White House

The White House said the new ballroom will have a seated capacity of 650 people, more than three times the space in the East Room, which is presently the largest event space in the White House.

Last week, Trump hosted a dinner for donors in the East Room. Among those to attend were representatives from Microsoft, Google, Palantir, as well as wealthy figures such as Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss.

The White House has been the historic home of the US president for 200 years. The East Wing was constructed in 1902 and was last modified in 1942.