New renderings released this week provide the most detailed vision yet of Donald Trump’s proposed £310m White House ballroom addition. The images, submitted by architects and published on Friday by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), depict a sprawling 90,000 sq ft structure level with the White House mansion.
The renderings appear in a 28-page document titled “East Wing Modernization”, dated 11 February, ahead of a 5 March NCPC hearing. Trump has appointed allies to the NCPC and the Commission of Fine Arts, which will review the plans. According to CNN, the renderings were removed from the NCPC website shortly after being uploaded; the commission did not comment.
The project has sparked controversy since October, when Trump began demolishing the East Wing without prior approval. In December, the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block construction, arguing the administration violated laws by tearing down parts of the White House without review. Trump also replaced the original architect with Shalom Baranes Associates.
The ballroom, financed by private donors including Meta, Apple, Amazon, and others, is estimated to cost £310m. Trump shared renderings on social media, calling it “the finest Ballroom ever built” and claiming it is “on budget and ahead of schedule”. He added it would be used for future inaugurations due to its security features.
In a memo to the NCPC, White House official Joshua Fisher defended the demolition, stating it provided the “most effective solution” to longstanding issues. He said historical elements, including the East Wing cornerstone, movie theatre furniture, and chandeliers, have been preserved and may be integrated into the new structure. Fisher also noted that the east façade of the White House remains in excellent condition.
Beyond the ballroom, the administration plans to beautify areas including Lafayette Park and the Ellipse, Fisher added.
