Trump’s $200m ballroom: A history of home improvements at the White House

After paving implicit the Rose Garden and adding gold-filigree decorations to the Oval Office, US President Donald Trump volition embark connected his astir melodramatic summation to the White House yet – a caller $200m ballroom to beryllium built adjacent to the mansion’s East Wing.

Trump, a erstwhile existent property developer, has repeatedly promised to physique a “beautiful” ballroom astatine the White House. In 2016, helium offered $100m during Barack Obama’s tenure for the project, which the then-president rejected.

But successful a briefing to reporters astatine the White House connected Thursday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the “much needed and exquisite addition” to the White House volition beryllium astir 90,000 quadrate feet (8,360 quadrate metres), with a seating capableness of 650.

Most ceremonial White House functions are presently held successful the White House’s East Room, which tin spot astir 200 people. According to Leavitt, operation is expected to beryllium completed “long before” the extremity of Trump’s word successful bureau successful January 2029.

She besides said that the president and different donors would wage for the renovations, but declined to springiness details. Renderings provided by the White House amusement that the ballroom volition beryllium akin architecturally to the remainder of the mansion.

Leavitt said the ballroom would beryllium built wherever the “East Wing presently sits”. When asked whether the task would necessitate knocking down that conception of the White House, she said the East Wing would request to beryllium “modernised”.

“The White House has a past of enlargement to accommodate the changing needs of the nation’s main executive,” Leslie Greene Bowman, who has served nether 4 presidents connected the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, told BBC News.

So, what person those been?

When and however was the White House constructed?

Construction of the White House began successful 1792, based connected a plan by the Irish-born designer James Hoban. Built by enslaved labourers and European craftsmen, it was archetypal occupied by President John Adams successful 1800, though it inactive wasn’t finished erstwhile helium moved in.

Enslaved labourers were forced to bash physically demanding enactment connected the White House, similar quarrying and transporting chromatic and making bricks. They were typically hired retired by their enslavers, who were paid for their labour.

North presumption of the President’s House successful the metropolis of Washington, circa 1810, earlier the porticos were added. Drawing by creator Frances Benjamin Johnston [Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images]

During the War of 1812 (also known arsenic the Second War of Independence), British forces invaded Washington and acceptable occurrence to the White House successful August 1814.

Reconstruction began astir instantly afterwards nether President James Madison, again led by Hoban.

President James Monroe moved into the restored gathering successful 1817, and aboriginal added the South Portico successful 1824. The North Portico followed successful 1829 during Andrew Jackson’s presidency, establishing the iconic facade of the White House arsenic it is known today.

Over the people of the 19th century, amendments were made slowly. Running water, state lighting, and furnishings were gradually added. In 1891, nether President Benjamin Harrison, energy was installed successful the White House.

The White House, Washington DC, United States, circa 1900. Built successful the neoclassical benignant betwixt 1792 and 1800, the authoritative residence and workplace of the president of the United States was designed by Irish-born designer James Hoban [The Print Collector/Getty Images]

What changes were made to the White House successful the 20th century?

President Theodore Roosevelt made 1 of the astir transformative changes to the gathering successful 1902. He removed the aged Victorian-style interiors and relocated the statesmanlike offices from the 2nd level of the residence to a caller West Wing.

Roosevelt besides expanded the State Dining Room – which could lone clasp 40 guests – by removing a staircase and expanding the size to a seating capableness of 100.

The State Dining Room of the White House nether President Teddy Roosevelt successful 1902 [Bettman/Getty Images]

Roosevelt’s renovations modernised the White House to suit the needs of a increasing enforcement branch.

President Theodore Roosevelt is seated astatine his table successful the White House successful 1902. He added the West Wing the aforesaid twelvemonth [Bettman/Getty Images]

Then, successful 1909, William Howard Taft expanded Roosevelt’s West Wing and created the archetypal Oval Office, a symbolic centrepiece of statesmanlike power.

President William Taft successful the Oval Office, which helium created, successful 1909 [BM Clinedinst/Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images]

The biggest changes to the White House came nether Harry Truman (president from 1945 to 1953). Truman gutted the wrong of the building, leaving lone the outer walls, portion workers rebuilt the interior operation with alloy beams and factual floors.

Truman besides added a arguable second-floor balcony connected the South Portico, sometimes called the “Truman Balcony”. Later presidents made much subtle, but inactive meaningful, changes to the White House.

A scaffold is erected connected the southbound grounds of the White House arsenic enactment gets nether mode connected President Truman’s $15,000 balcony connected the South Portico, extracurricular the president’s chamber [Bettman/Getty Images]

John F Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy led a restoration task focused connected humanities authenticity, refurbishing rooms with antiques.

In 1969, Richard Nixon added a bowling alley and upgraded the Situation Room.

President Nixon approaches the foul enactment and is astir to vessel connected the alley successful the Executive Office Building adjacent to the White House. The president displayed his signifier to the winners of the 7th World Bowling Federation, who were visiting him [Bettman/Getty Images]

Under Bill Clinton, the White House saw large technological upgrades, including improved information systems and net connectivity. George W Bush renovated the property briefing country and restored respective humanities rooms, including the Abraham Lincoln Bedroom.

The Lincoln Bedroom successful the White House successful 1958, portion of a impermanent suite that included the Lincoln Sitting Room. Prior to a renovation, the country was utilized by Abraham Lincoln arsenic an office; it has been redecorated respective times since becoming a chamber [Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images]

In caller years, Barack Obama installed wi-fi passim the White House and the West Wing. Obama, a lifelong hoops enthusiast, besides had portion of the White House’s existing tennis courts adapted for hoops use.

Though nary authoritative estimation exists, the cumulative costs of operation and renovations magnitude to astir $250m (in existent dollar terms). As such, maintaining the location – and bureau – of the US president comes with a important terms tag.

What different gathering works are nether mode successful Washington, DC?

The timing of the ballroom task is significant. Just a week ago, Trump seized connected a sprawling renovation task undertaken by the US Federal Reserve (Fed) to criticise the cardinal bank’s chair, Jay Powell.

Trump zeroed successful connected the costly terms tag of the task – astir $2.5bn to renovate 2 1930s buildings. During a rare statesmanlike visit to the cardinal bank’s office connected July 24, Trump accused Powell of fiscal mismanagement.

Last month, meanwhile, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought (a Trump appointee) accused Powell of mishandling the “ostentatious” refurbishment of the Fed’s office successful Washington, DC.

Trump has repeatedly demanded that the Fed little involvement rates by 3 percent points, and has often raised the possibility of firing Powell, though the president has said helium does not mean to bash so. On July 22, Trump called the Fed main a “numbskull”.

Despite unit from the White House, the Federal Reserve held involvement rates steady astatine 4.25-4.50 percent connected July 30, connected par with economists’ expectations, arsenic tariff-driven uncertainty weighs connected the US economy.