Donald Trump has criticized previous presidents over what he described as years of neglect at the White House, while insisting that his own renovation work has left the landmark in better condition than it was when construction began in 1792.
The 80-year-old former president made the remarks on Sunday while posting images of a newly restored column on Truth Social.
In his social media post, Trump said the White House had been in poor shape both indoors and outside before his renovation efforts began.
He described the building as a “dump” and claimed that earlier presidents had failed to maintain it properly. Trump added that he enjoys overseeing improvements to the property in what little spare time he has.
Trump also praised the Department of the Interior, led by Doug Burgum, along with the contractors involved in the work, calling their performance “fantastic.”
He claimed the White House’s exterior covering had deteriorated so badly that parts of its outer “skin” were nearly coming away from the structure.
According to Trump, the building is now in better condition than it was at the time of its original construction. He described the restoration as a great honor and said he was proud to help preserve the historic residence.
Trump warned that delaying further renovations could have caused serious damage to what he called America’s “beloved White House.”
The broader White House renovation plan includes the demolition of the East Wing to clear space for a grand ballroom. Work on the project began in September 2025, with completion expected before the end of Trump’s second term.
The proposed ballroom is now designed to accommodate between 900 and 999 guests, representing a 40% increase over the capacity outlined in earlier plans.
When the project was first presented, the White House said the 90,000-square-foot venue would seat approximately 650 people.
The ballroom was initially estimated to cost $200 million. However, contracts and planning documents reviewed by The Washington Post indicate that the projected price has since climbed to roughly $600 million.
Trump has shared what are the first interior renderings of his lavish project, which he has previously described as his “gift to the United States of America.”
“Massively expensive, but free of charge to the American taxpayer – on budget, and ahead of schedule!” he wrote on Saturday.
President Trump has consistently claimed that the ballroom is being funded by himself and donors.
“There’s not one dime of government money going into the ballroom,” he previously told reporters.
But a Republican proposal calling for $1 billion for Secret Service security updates sparked a political firestorm in Congress – before it was removed from a broader funding package by the Senate’s parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough.
Trump says the ballroom’s side walls will be supported by “impenetrable steel” and have “high grade bulletproof glass.”
“The glass is approximately 4 inches thick, and yet it’s amazing,” he said.
“You can see through it as though it didn’t exist, and it can stop just about anything.”
Its roof will be flat and there will be no air conditioning inside, Trump said.
“We don’t want anything coming down through the pipes,” he explained.
“We don’t want to have anything having to do with air or air quality or any problems playing with the air… All of the equipment is inside of the building, and that’s for safety reasons.”
Trump described the ballroom’s roof as a “barrier” and a “shield”, revealing it will be home to a drone port “set up for unlimited numbers of drones.”
A six-storey deep military complex is being built underneath the ballroom, which would essentially replace the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, which was constructed in 1942.
But the demolition of the East Wing is just one White House renovation project Trump is embarking upon.
The West Wing will also see a revamp as the gray and brown pavers are being swapped for a black granite walkway.
The North Portico entrance is being revamped and the Rose Garden was paved over last year.
Work on the North Portico entrance began in June and is set to be completed before China’s President Xi visits the White House later this month.
