US President Donald Trump offered a "special treat" to Chinese President Xi Jinping during the state dinner held at the White House yesterday. Mr Trump invited his Chinese counterpart to view the construction site of the new White House ballroom.
Off-script invitation
Speaking at the state dinner, the US President said: "If I could go off script for a second, I just want to say, as a special treat in honour of President Xi and Madam Peng, I'd like to invite everyone in the room to visit through that beautiful curtain in the back.
"The door is all lit up, and it looks beautiful. It's one year away from completion of the new ballroom that you've heard about, and I think you will see something that you will really love."
150 years in the making
Mr Trump went on to claim that "presidents have been trying to get this built for 150 years". He said: "If we had it, we would have had way more than 1000 people standing room only, and this room has about 145, that's about it, so they've been looking for this for over 150 years, all presidents, and they will shortly have it."
"So in honour of you, you will be the first people to set foot on that," he also told the Chinese President.
Legal challenges and construction
The $400 million ballroom project has faced fierce criticism. Opponents claimed the President did not have the unilateral power to demolish the east wing of the White House, which was necessary to pave the way for the ballroom.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued to challenge the project in December 2025, but in late August, the Supreme Court allowed the construction of the White House ballroom to continue.
"We are living in the Golden Age of America, and this Building will be one of the Greatest ever constructed in Washington, D.C. When completed in the Summer of 2028, the magnificent Ballroom and Military Complex will be something that the entire Country is very proud of.
"The Project, despite the baseless lawsuit brought by the so-called National Trust for Historic Preservation of the United States, which is not in any way affiliated with the United States Government, is under budget and ahead of schedule," Mr Trump said.
State visit agenda
Chinese President Xi Jinping started his three-day state visit to the United States on Wednesday. It is understood that the two leaders met to discuss the future of AI, Taiwan, and tariffs on goods exported by the two nations.
Mr Xi issued a statement to mark his arrival in America, writing that the two should be partners, not rivals. He added: "Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can go hand in hand, and the two countries can contribute to each other’s success, thereby benefiting the wider world."
