(The Hill) — President Donald Trump’s proposal to construct a grand $200 million ballroom at the White House is stirring controversy among critics, who view this effort as part of his ambition to leave a permanent legacy not just on the presidency but also on the historic residence itself.
The construction of the ballroom, the cost of which the White House says will be covered by Trump and other donors, will begin in September.
In addition to the ballroom, Trump plans to pave the White House Rose Garden, though the rose bushes will remain intact. The White House justifies the paving by stating it will enhance accessibility for events held in that space.
And he’s added his personal gold touch to the Oval Office.
Trump says he sees the ballroom as a way to add to his legacy.
And while detractors say his decorative and more substantial changes are out of touch and ostentatious, he says they are necessary.
“I always said I was going to do something about the ballroom because they should have one,” Trump mentioned to reporters on Thursday. “So we’ll be leaving it; it will be a great legacy project. And, I think it will be special.”
When asked if any government funds will be used to construct the 90,000 square foot facility, Trump replied, “no government dollars, no.”
The White House said the sprawling event space will be built adjacent to the White House where the East Wing sits.
The objective is to finalize the project before Trump’s term concludes in January 2029. The envisioned ballroom will serve as a venue for state dinners, large gatherings with business leaders, and other prestigious events or functions.
“We’ve been planning it for a long time,” Trump explained. “They’ve wanted a ballroom at the White House for over 150 years. There’s never been a president good at designing ballrooms. I excel at that.”
Democrats and regular Trump critics offered a sharp pushback on his plans.
“This is what DOGE was about, folks,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) expressed in a video on social media following the announcement. “Taking things away from you and not directing them where needed, but instead benefiting the big shots who run the show, led by Donald Trump.”
Others suggested Trump and his White House were planting an intentional distraction.
“You gotta hand it to MAGAs, for about a week they really did have everyone convinced they cared about kids and The Epstein Files,” journalist and pundit Seth Abramson wrote on social platform X. “On to more important things! Did you hear Trump is building a $200M ballroom at the White House? Wowee!”
The White House pushed back on those criticisms in a Friday statement to The Hill, saying “as President Trump has said, for over 150 years, many presidents, administrations, and staff have all wanted a ballroom, and now we have a president who will accomplish building it.”
“President Trump is the best builder and developer in the entire world and the American people can rest well knowing that this project is in his hands,” a West Wing spokesperson said. “Many future presidents and American citizens will enjoy it for generations to come.”
The president, a longtime real estate mogul who is known for a hands-on approach in the design and construction of his resorts, golf courses and skyscraper office buildings, has long lamented the lack of sufficient event space at the White House.
“When it rains it’s a disaster, and the tent’s 100 yards, that’s more than a football field away from the main entrance,” Trump said as part of his remarks to the press about the project. “And people are shlopping down to the tent; it’s not a pretty sight. The women with their lovely evening gowns, their hair all done, and they’re a mess by the time they get [there].”
There is longstanding precedent for presidents and first ladies putting their spin on the White House and its grounds.
President Harry Truman oversaw a massive renovation from 1948 to 1952 that required he and his wife to move into the Blair House at the time and saw the White House completely gutted.
Former first lady Jackie Kennedy, however, championed the historic preservation of the home and advocated that extreme renovations require oversight from the Committee for the Preservation of the White House.
“Every president and first family does make a mark on the White House — they already are a part of history and that snapshot in time,” said Anita McBride, former chief of staff to then-first lady Laura Bush. “Since the cornerstone was laid, there have been additions, there have been changes that, at the time those happened, raised concerns.”
The White House Historical Association welcomed Trump’s planned ballroom.
“The history of the White House has evolved over 233 years since the cornerstone was laid in 1792. The South Portico, the North Portico, the East Wing, the West Wing, and the Truman Balcony all raised concerns at the time — but today, we can’t imagine the White House without these iconic elements,” Stewart D. McLaurin, president of the association, told The Hill.
He added, “Since our founding by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961, we have supported and partnered with every president and first lady caring for and adding to the White House and its Collection. We work to preserve the history of this remarkable museum, home, and office for generations to come.”
Some agree with the president that a bigger events space at the White House is long overdue.
“I can understand why someone who thinks on a grand scale, as obviously President Trump does, would want this ballroom added,” said Barbara Perry, a presidential historian and co-chair of the Presidential Oral History Program at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. “That being said, the optics for people who disagree with this president, it will probably have an impact on how they view this.”
McBride agreed that the tents on the lawn, which have been constructed during more recent administrations, are not ideal.
“That doesn’t come without challenges, putting up staging, putting up a covered structure, getting people to the actual location; dealing with inclement weather. And you’re not really having your event in the White House,” she said. “So you can see where that makes sense.”
There are lingering questions about what the new ballroom location will mean for the staffers who work in the East Wing, which is where first lady’s staff works. The East Wing is also where tours of the White House for the public are conducted.
“Betty Ford always called the East Wing the ‘heart’ of the White House,” McBride said. “All the business and policy gets done in the West Wing, that’s critically important. But the heart of the White House is the East Wing. And so what, what will be the new East Wing?”
Others see the construction of an opulent addition to the president’s residence as a matter of bad timing and poor optics given sluggish jobs reports and fears about how global tariffs might hurt the U.S. economy.
“This isn’t something that’s going to make or break another election, but it does add another page to the catalog of hypocrisy that these people read from when they want to lecture Americans about fiscal responsibility,” said Antjuan Seawright, a Democratic political strategist. “It’s a visible middle finger to working class Americans, many of whom voted for him.”
