What to know about Trump’s plan to build $250m White House ballroom

Massive demolition enactment began this week connected the White House’s East Wing arsenic portion of United States President Donald Trump’s plans to physique a caller ballroom successful a abstraction traditionally reserved for the archetypal lady.

The construction, which started connected Monday, is the archetypal structural alteration to the analyzable since 1948, and the archetypal nether Trump, who has already redecorated the Oval Office successful lavish golden furnishings.

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According to reporting by The Associated Press quality agency, the task went up contempt not being formally approved by the National Capital Planning Commission, the national bureau that oversees specified operations, which is presently closed owed to a nationwide government shutdown.

Trump archetypal announced the caller summation to the White House successful July and again confirmed it successful a station connected Monday connected his societal media site, Truth Social.

Here’s what to cognize astir the ballroom plans:

The White House is seen arsenic the prima begins to set, connected Wednesday, October 8, 2025, successful Washington, DC [Jacquelyn Martin/AP]

Why is the East Wing of the White House being demolished?

Trump, successful his announcement connected Monday, said the East Wing is being reconstructed to adhd a ballroom. The president had, successful the past, complained astir the White House lacking a abstraction ample capable to big chap nationalist leaders and different important guests, according to the AP. Such authorities dinners person typically been held connected the White House lawns.

“I americium pleased to denote that crushed has been breached connected the White House grounds to physique the new, big, beauteous White House Ballroom,” Trump wrote connected Monday, adding that the task was being funded wholly privately, and that it would not impact the main White House gathering itself – a constituent that immoderate person viewed with scepticism owed to the immense standard of the renovations.

(Al Jazeera)

“For much than 150 years, each President has dreamt astir having a Ballroom astatine the White House to accommodate radical for expansive parties, State Visits, etc. I americium honored to beryllium the archetypal President to yet get this much-needed task underway — with zero outgo to the American Taxpayer!” the president added.

The two-storey operation of the East Wing was added archetypal successful 1902. It has, since 1977, nether Rosalynn Carter, housed the offices of the archetypal woman and her staff, arsenic good arsenic a visitor’s entranceway for overseas dignitaries. It besides includes a ample theatre and the Graphics and Calligraphy Office, liable for producing invitations for non-political events held astatine the mansion. The helping is built straight connected apical of the underground exigency bunker reserved for the president.

What volition beryllium the outgo of construction?

Trump’s ballroom is estimated to outgo $250m, according to the AP and different US media reports. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, successful an earlier connection successful August, said it would outgo astir $200m.

Trump has said the costs would beryllium footed by himself and backstage donors, though those entities person not been disclosed.

What volition the ballroom beryllium like?

The caller ballroom volition beryllium astir 90,000 quadrate feet (8,360 quadrate metres), and volition person a seating capableness of astir 650 guests, according to Leavitt. Reuters quality bureau reports the caller country volition beryllium capable to clasp up to 999 people.

Currently, astir White House events are held successful the East Room, which seats astir 200 people.

Leavitt said successful August that operation volition beryllium completed “long before” the extremity of Trump’s word successful January 2029. Offices determination volition beryllium temporarily relocated during what she called the “modernisation” process. Leavitt added that “nothing volition beryllium torn down”.

“It volition beryllium beautiful,” Trump said earlier successful July. “It won’t interfere with the existent building. It won’t beryllium – it volition beryllium adjacent it, but not touching it. And pays full respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest instrumentality of. It’s my favorite.”

Washington-based McCrery Architects volition pb the project, on with operation teams from Virginia-based Clark Construction. Engineering volition beryllium provided by AECOM, headquartered successful Dallas.

What erstwhile changes person been made to the White House?

The mansion has gone done numerous structural changes since it was archetypal completed successful 1800, arsenic antithetic presidents aimed to redesign it to their taste.

(Al Jazeera)

Some of the much notable changes successful the past period include:

• Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909), successful 1902, removed aged Victorian-style interiors, relocated the statesmanlike offices from the 2nd level of the residence to a recently built West Wing, and expanded the State Dining Room to spot 100 guests from a erstwhile 40. He besides built a tiny East Wing arsenic an entryway for ceremonial guests.
• William Howard Taft (1909-1913) expanded the West Wing and created the archetypal Oval Office.
• Franklin D Roosevelt (1933-1945), during World War II, expanded the East Wing from an entryway to a two-storey operation purposely built to screen the underground exigency bunker – the Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC).
• Harry Truman (1945-1953) notably made immoderate of the biggest changes. Workers gutted the interior operation to hole alloy beams and factual floors, leaving lone the outer walls astatine immoderate point. He besides added the arguable second-floor “Truman Balcony” connected the South Portico, which architectural purists argued clashed with the mansion’s archetypal 16th-century Palladian style.
• John F Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy (1961-1963) built the Situation Room and refurbished different rooms with antiques.
• Richard Nixon (1969-1974) added a bowling alley and upgraded the Situation Room.
• Bill Clinton (1993-2001) improved information systems and net connectivity, portion George W Bush (2001-2009) renovated the property briefing country and restored respective humanities rooms, including the Abraham Lincoln Bedroom. Barack Obama (2009-2017) installed wi-fi passim the White House and the West Wing and adapted existing tennis courts for hoops games.

What’s the past of the White House?

The White House, including the East and West Wings, is astir 55,000 quadrate feet crossed six floors. Its 18-acre grounds see 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 28 fireplaces.

Its operation started connected October 13, 1792, nether President George Washington, and lasted until November 1, 1800, nether President John Adams. It was designed by Irish-born designer James Hoban, who modelled it aft Ireland’s parliament building, Leinster House.

The mansion was severely damaged by occurrence lit by British forces successful 1814, during the War of 1812 betwixt the US and Britain, but it was instantly renovated. Every US president since Adams has lived successful the White House.