President Donald Trump has revealed plans to build a $200 million (£154 million) ballroom at the White House, one of the largest construction projects at the executive mansion in over a century. The announcement comes amid ongoing renovations that critics say are transforming the historic building into a gaudy palace reminiscent of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
The ballroom, which will span more than 90,000 square feet (8,000 square metres) and seat up to 650 guests, is intended to host state dinners and official receptions. Currently, such events are held in tents on the White House grounds, which Trump described as a 'disaster' in bad weather. The new structure will replace the East Wing, which houses the first lady's offices, though it remains unclear where those offices will be relocated.
Trump, who made his fortune in New York real estate, boasted that the project would be funded by himself and unspecified donors. 'They've wanted a ballroom at the White House for more than 150 years, but there's never been a president that was good at ballrooms,' he told reporters. 'I'm good at building things and we're going to build quickly and on time.'
Work is set to begin in September and is expected to be completed before the end of Trump's second term in January 2029. A model of the ballroom shows a white building with tall windows, designed to complement the main White House structure. Trump insisted the design 'pays total respect to the existing building'.
Democrats have criticised the project, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer saying, 'I don't need a $200m ballroom to eat my cheeseburger in.' Others see the renovations as a metaphor for Trump's presidency. Mona Charen of the Bulwark website wrote, 'Trump is a walking wrecking ball of law, tradition, civility, manners, and morals.'
