Trump tears down East Wing for $300M ballroom ahead of high-stakes China meeting

Trump said construction started Monday and that the project would be funded privately. The project is estimated to cost $300 million, up from the $200 million estimate first provided in July when the project was unveiled. 

Still, the project has faced criticism as the White House's historic East Wing was completely demolished. The wing has served as the official entrance to the White House and is designated as space for the first lady. 

On Monday, Trump signaled he wants to expedite outfitting Australia with nuclear submarines under the trilateral agreement between the U.S., Australia and the U.K. that seeks to enhance Australia's submarine force to deter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific.

The agreement, known as AUKUS, stipulates the U.S. will sell up to five Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia that are scheduled for delivery as soon as 2032. The deal also outlines that Australia and the U.K. will work to build additional attack submarines for Australia's fleet.

"Well we are doing that, yeah … we have them moving very, very quickly," Trump told reporters Monday.

However, Trump also said that he didn't believe the deal was necessary to undermine China.

"I don't think we're going to need it," Trump said about the trilateral agreement. "I think we'll be just fine with China. China doesn't want to do that. First of all, the United States is the strongest military power in the world by far. It's not even close, not even close. We have the best equipment. We have the best of everything, and nobody's going to mess with that. And I don't see that at all with President Xi."

Meanwhile, Trump departed for Asia Friday, as he is slated to meet with Xi during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.

As a result, Trump said the U.S. would impose a new 100% tariff on all Chinese goods, which is slated to take effect Nov. 1.

However, Trump has sought to neutralize tension, and has regularly spoken highly of his relationship with Xi in recent weeks. He has said he believes a deal will be reached between the two countries.

"I think we are going to come out very well, and everyone's going to be very happy," Trump said Thursday.

Trump and Xi have not met in person since Trump took office in January. Their last meeting took place in June 2019 in Japan.

Trump will also visit Malaysia, Japan and South Korea as part of the trip.

Trump said that he didn't want a "wasted meeting" with Putin in Hungary, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that he didn't see enough progress toward peace from Russia.

"We canceled the meeting with President Putin," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office with Rutte Wednesday. "It just, it didn't feel right to me. It didn't feel like we were going to get to the place we have to get. So I canceled it. But we'll do it in the future."