December 2025

Greetings UAW Brothers and Sisters,

It is with a sad heart that I write about a piece of American history that has been demolished and lost forever. The East Wing of the White House is now gone. Here is a brief history of what I have always thought of as the “First Lady’s House.”

In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt built the East Terrace and used it as a carriage entrance and formal guest entrance. Then, in 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt expanded the structure, enclosing the terrace to create the East Wing, providing space for the growing federal government and the First Lady’s staff, as well as the public entrance to the “People’s House,” all while concealing an underground bunker.

In the 1970s, First Lady Betty Ford created the formal Office of the First Lady in the East Wing. Betty Ford, a proponent of women’s rights, argued for equal pay for her female staff and an end to sex-based discrimination in the East Wing—reminders that progress in fairness and equality often mirrors the same values we in the labor movement continue to fight for today.

In 1977, First Lady Rosalynn Carter established the tradition of the East Wing being used as the First Lady’s office.

In 2025, the historic East Wing was demolished as part of a privately funded project initiated by President Trump to build a large White House State Ballroom on the site.

The East Wing has long been considered a seat of soft power, a place focused on social events, and it was visited by millions of tourists each year.

The initial construction was a practical build. With World War II raging, an emergency underground bunker was created on the spot and required the East Wing above to help hide and disguise it. The underground bunker became known as the Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC).

During the 9/11 attacks, a number of key personnel were evacuated to the PEOC, including Vice President Dick Cheney, First Lady Laura Bush, Lynne Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, Mary Matalin, Lewis “Scooter” Libby, Joshua Bolten, Karen Hughes, Stephen Hadley, David Addington, Secret Service agents, U.S. Army Major Mike Fenzel, and other staff. President George W. Bush was visiting a school in Florida at the time. President Trump was also taken there during protests in his first term.

President George W. Bush used the East Wing to practice his State of the Union address in 2004. The East Wing also housed the President’s movie theater and was home to many social events.

As I researched the East Wing demolition, I also discovered that other structures were removed. The Jacqueline Kennedy Garden and at least six historical trees were taken down, including two magnolias that had been dedicated to Presidents Warren G. Harding and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Farewell, East Wing. I hope your wonderful history can live on in the minds and memories of your many visitors, in history books, museums, and even school curriculums. I, for one, feel a great emotional attachment to our White House and its history, and this includes the East Wing. It is very hard to watch such a significant structure—a piece of our shared national story—being torn down and gutted.

The White House belongs to the American people, and its future should always involve the voices of those it represents. The East Wing served as an important arm of the White House—a safe environment for First Ladies to pursue their visions, a place where priorities such as caregiving, health, education, women’s equality, and community-focused initiatives took shape. This extension of the White House—the arm so often dedicated to women’s issues—has now been severed, cut off without any anesthetic, prior knowledge, or consent.

The loss of the East Wing is a stark reminder of how important it is to protect the institutions and rights that support working people, because once they are gone, rebuilding them is never simple. History matters, and so do the people who shape it.

Please visit whitehousehistory.org, where you can explore many interesting facts, events, history, and so much more!  Well worth the internet highway trip!

As a quick reminder to members: If you’ve recently moved, please make sure your address is updated with the Labor & Employment Relations (HR) department so you don’t miss important communications from the company or your union. Retirees: please call the union hall directly at 517-372-7201 to update your contact information. Staying connected means staying informed!

Thank you for your time, your trust, and your continued solidarity through communication.

Wishing happy holidays and a prosperous New Year to all,

In Solidarity,

Char