White House to construct a $200 million ballroom, under Trump's leadership
President Trump Announces $200 Million White House Ballroom Project
President Donald Trump has announced plans for a new $200 million ballroom at the White House, set to begin construction in September 2025. The project, privately funded by Trump and unnamed donors, aims to address current limitations in hosting large official functions indoors.
The new ballroom will be a 90,000-square-foot venue, seating approximately 650 guests. It will be built on the site currently occupied by the East Wing, which was constructed in 1902 and has undergone multiple renovations. The new structure will closely follow the historical architectural themes of the existing complex but will be largely separate from the main White House building.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles highlighted President Trump's detail-oriented approach and commitment to preserving White House heritage while creating a ballroom for use by future administrations. The project addresses a longstanding desire for a large formal event space on the White House grounds.
The construction will be led by Clark Construction with engineering by AECOM. The White House has not disclosed the exact extent of the East Wing's renovation or the duration of the construction process. Offices in the East Wing will be vacated while it is "modernized" for the upcoming construction.
The White House ballroom will feature gold trim, similar to decorations at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. President Trump has held several meetings with White House staff, the National Park Service, the White House Military Office, and the United States Secret Service to discuss design features and planning for the ballroom.
The ballroom addition will not interfere with the current building. The White House, as it stands, is currently unable to host major functions without installing a large tent, a situation Trump has criticized as unsightly. The new ballroom will solve this issue, providing a spacious indoor venue for such events.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed the project at her press briefing on Thursday. Trump stated that the best architects and engineers were retained for the construction of the new White House ballroom. He mentioned the project to European Council President Ursula von der Leyen at his Turnberry golf property in Scotland.
The White House has released a press statement regarding the ongoing discussions and planning for the ballroom project. According to the statement, President Trump is "fully committed to working with the appropriate organizations to preserve the special history of the White House, while building a beautiful ballroom that can be enjoyed by future administrations and generations of Americans to come."
The business magnate President Trump's anticipated White House ballroom project, estimated at $200 million, lies at the intersection of policy-and-legislation and general news, as it involves policy discussions with White House staff, the National Park Service, and other entities. Politically, this project underscores President Trump's focus on enhancing the White House's capabilities to accommodate major political functions and events, a goal that addresses longstanding, larger-scale needs on the White House grounds.