President Donald Trump has announced plans to build a $200m ballroom at the White House, one of the largest construction projects at the executive mansion in over a century. The president, who made his fortune in New York real estate, said the venue would host official receptions and replace the tents currently used for state dinners, which he described as a 'disaster' in bad weather.
The ballroom, spanning more than 90,000 square feet and seating up to 650 guests, will be built on the site of the East Wing, which currently houses the first lady's offices. Trump told reporters the project would be completed before the end of his second term in January 2029, adding: 'I'm good at building things and we're going to build quickly and on time.'
The announcement is the latest in a series of architectural changes under Trump, including a gold-heavy redesign of the Oval Office, the paving of a grassy area in the Rose Garden, and the installation of towering flagpoles. Critics have accused the president of transforming the historic mansion into a gaudy palace reminiscent of his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer dismissed the plan, saying: 'I’m happy to eat my cheeseburger at my desk. I don’t need a $200m ballroom to eat it in.' Mona Charen, policy editor of the Bulwark, wrote that the construction symbolises a 'low and shameful time' in US history, calling Trump a 'walking wrecking ball of law, tradition, civility, manners, and morals.'
Work is set to begin in September, with the ballroom designed as a white building with tall windows, paying 'total respect' to the existing structure, according to Trump. The project marks the most significant White House expansion since renovations under Theodore Roosevelt and Harry Truman.
