Citing mesothelioma risks and potential violations of federal and local hazardous material regulations, Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Suzanne Bonamici have sent a formal letter demanding that President Trump provide documentation proving proper asbestos abatement occurred before the White House East Wing demolition in October. The letter frames the issue as fundamental to public safety requirements for transparent, verifiable information when demolition may disturb carcinogenic materials.
Mesothelioma Risks Central to White House Demolition Inquiry
The lawmakers’ January 30th letter expresses urgent concern that the East Wing demolition may have exposed workers, White House visitors, pedestrians, and neighboring occupants of office buildings to mesothelioma-causing asbestos without proper safety protocols. The mesothelioma threat stems from the East Wing’s original 1902 construction and 1942 expansion. These were the periods when asbestos was most prevalently used in building materials for insulation and fire protection.
“There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos, a known carcinogen,” the mesothelioma warning letter states, emphasizing that “people often inhale it without knowing they are doing so. Any level of exposure can cause fatal illnesses, including multiple types of cancer and mesothelioma.” The lawmakers note that mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases have decades-long latency periods, and airborne asbestos particulates can linger for days and travel several hundred meters from demolition sites, particularly in the windy conditions that Washington, D.C. experienced at the time of the demolition.
Regulations Allegedly Ignored in Demolition
The mesothelioma safety concerns focus on apparent failures to comply with District of Columbia regulations requiring that all pre-2000 buildings obtain asbestos abatement permits before demolition. December 2025 reporting highlighted documents from D.C.’s Department of Energy and Environment suggesting the White House ignored city and federal mesothelioma prevention requirements to identify asbestos presence and complete abatement before demolition work.
While White House officials claimed in January that “any hazardous material abatement was done in September” and that compliance with federal standards occurred, they failed to provide verification despite FOIA requests—sharing only unrelated abatement documents from early 2025 predating the East Wing demolition. The lawmakers’ mesothelioma safety inquiry demands written responses and complete records by February 20, 2026, including pre-demolition asbestos testing documentation, abatement plans and certifications, worker and public protection measures, including personal protective equipment requirements and air-monitoring data, and correspondence among federal agencies and contractors regarding mesothelioma hazard identification and remediation.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net are here to help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
