Construction has begun on the $200 million White House State Ballroom, President Donald Trump said Monday, with photos of the project showing the demolition of the East Wing façade.
Key data
Trump announced the start of construction of the ballroom in a Truth Social post, nearly three months after he first revealed his plans to build it with funds from him and “other patriotic donors.”
The facade of the East Wing could be seen being demolished on Monday, and Trump claimed that the building, which has been home to the First Lady’s Office, the White House visitor entrance and more, “is being completely modernized as part of this process.”
The ballroom will be approximately 8,361 square meters, much larger than the East Wing at 1,115 square meters and the White House at 5,110 square meters.
The White House has said the ballroom will be used to accommodate larger parties and state visits, citing a seating capacity of 650 people, which is more than triple the capacity of the White House’s East Room.
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Who finances the ballroom?
Trump, who hosted a dinner for ballroom donors last week, will help fund construction of the ballroom, using at least $22 million in settlement money obtained from his recent censorship lawsuit against YouTube. Donors at the dinner included billionaires such as Gemini founders Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, and oil executive Harold G. Hamm, according to The New York Times, which cited a guest list provided by a White House official that also included major companies such as Amazon, Apple, Coinbase, Comcast, Google, HP, Meta, Microsoft, Palantir and T-Mobile.
Key background
Renderings of the ballroom were released in July and showed coffered ceilings, chandeliers and arched floor-to-ceiling windows within the grand structure. The building will be separate from the White House, but its “theme and architectural heritage will be nearly identical,” the White House said. It is unclear when construction of the ballroom will be completed, as the White House has only noted that it will be built “well before the end of President Trump’s term.” The White House has traditionally hosted larger events on the South Lawn, which would sometimes be outfitted with tents featuring flooring and lighting. Several state dinners hosted during the Obama and Biden administrations were held in tents, something Trump has taken issue with during both of his terms.
Tangent
Trump last week announced plans to build a seemingly massive triumphal arch in Arlington, Virginia, similar in style to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Details of the project, including the cost and construction schedule, have not been released, but a rendering of the arch shared by the president suggests it will be taller than the Lincoln Memorial.
This article was originally published in Forbes US
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