President Donald Trump showcased advancements on his ambitious ballroom project Wednesday evening, during a lavish dinner at the White House attended by corporate executives and affluent individuals contributing to its funding.
In July, Trump announced his $250 million initiative to construct a new ballroom at the White House, urging donors to participate in realizing his vision.
To mark the commencement of construction, Trump hosted a dinner gathering over 30 prominent figures from companies such as Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Palantir Technologies.
Among the invited guests were notable wealthy figures, including oil magnate Harold Hamm, Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, and twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The evening began with Trump delivering a speech celebrating the return of hostages, an outcome of the Israel-Hamas peace agreement he helped facilitate.
He subsequently shifted focus to the ballroom project, highlighting its significance to his presidential legacy as he aims to enhance the White House and the broader Washington D.C. area.
‘We’re here to celebrate you, because you have given a tremendous amount of money to see a ballroom built,’ he told the cheering crowd.
‘In between China, Russia, everything else that we deal with, it’s going to be a great ballroom… It is starting right behind us.’
He also displayed small replica designs of some of his planned renovations, including a white arch he intends to build across from Arlington National Cemetery
The White House released visuals of the new ballroom back in July. The current East Wing of the White House will be ‘modernized’ and 90,000 square feet of new space
Trump opened the gold curtains behind him to unveil the construction site.
‘It will be demolished,’ he said. ‘Everything out there is coming down and it will be replaced by the most beautiful ballroom.’
He also displayed small replica designs of some of his planned renovations, including a white arch he intends to build across from Arlington National Cemetery.
The ballroom is expected to have a capacity of 999 people, Trump said on Wednesday, and will be fitted with bulletproof glass.
‘There won’t be anything like it,’ he said. ‘Because of you, they’re going to get it. And me too. So many of you have been really, really generous.’
Trump shared an anecdote of one of the donors in the room asking him ‘sir, will $25million be appropriate?’
‘I’ll take it. It doesn’t take too many 25s [million] to get it done.’
He said the donors had been so generous that he had ‘money left over’ which could be put toward the arch he wants to build opposite Arlington National Cemetery.
President Donald Trump has unveiled progress on his grand new ballroom during a glitzy White House dinner with companies and millionaires helping to fund the project
He offered donors a glimpse at replicas of future projects he has in the works
Trump’s lavish dinner has sparked some concern. Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law faculty director Claire Finkelstein warned businesses could feel pressured into donating to Trump’s vision out of fear of his wrath.
‘Every company that is invited to that dinner that either doesn’t show or doesn’t give knows now they will be out of favor with the Trump administration,’ she said.
Democratic National Convention Communications Director Rosemary Boeglin accused Trump of using the dinner to trade ‘cash for access.’
‘This administration’s slogan should be ”Let them eat cake.” Trump is busy wining and dining with his rich friends and wealthy donors while failing to make a deal to end the government shutdown,’ she said.
‘Instead of trading cash for access, Trump and his Republican loyalists in Congress should be getting back to work to reopen the government and avoid a health care crisis that would force millions of Americans to pay even more for health care or lose coverage completely.
‘Trump’s betrayal of Americans is brazen: When it comes to bailing out Argentina or building a ballroom, Trump is happy to spend — but when it comes to helping families and farmers, Trump couldn’t care less.’
The White House ballroom’s designs are similar to those found at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago and his former hotel in Washington, D.C.
The invitation for the event stated it was planned to ‘Establish the Magnificent White House Ballroom.’
Trump said in past years, administrations hosting important international politicians and figures would erect a tent on the White House lawn to celebrate, but now they’d have a dedicated space to host functions.
Since taking office, Trump has redecorated the Rose Garden, Oval Office and Palm Room.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced in July that construction would begin in September on a 90,000 square foot addition to the East Wing for Trump’s ballroom.
‘It’ll be a great legacy project and I think it’ll be special,’ Trump said at the time.
