The Democrats are promising to investigate how President Donald Trump and his administration moved ahead with a White House demolition that has proceeded at a rapid pace, as Americans have posted "RIP East Wing 1902-2025" on social media platforms.

The East Wing was essentially fully gone by Thursday, after construction began three days earlier.

The wing, first built over a century ago during president Teddy Roosevelt's administration, has served as a base for the spouse of the president, and it is where visitors entered for public tours or to attend events like state dinners.

Meanwhile, the White House released a list of donors on Thursday who are contributing money to the building of a future ballroom on the property, a project the administration insists won't come at the expense of taxpayers. But White House critics say soliciting money from the private sector brings its own set of problems.

Satellite photos show the White House grounds several weeks ago, left, and this week. (Planet Labs PBC/CBC News)

"This is part of what Donald Trump has been doing since Day 1 of his presidency, running the largest pay-to-play scheme in the history of the country, and probably soliciting donations from from people who've got business before the United States government," Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries said this week, in an interview with MSNBC.

Jeffries promised the Democrats will demand