Trump administration workers introduced plans for the US$400-million White Home ballroom renovation on Thursday, together with blueprints for a doable second-storey addition to the West Wing.
The plan, introduced to the Nationwide Capital Planning Fee (NCPC), which oversees federal constructing development, proposes an roughly 89,000-square-foot undertaking that would come with the 22,000-square-foot ballroom, seating 1,000 visitors.
The listening to was the primary time detailed plans for the ballroom have been introduced and mentioned in public.
Trump, who final yr demolished the East Wing, which contained the places of work of the primary woman and a film theatre, had at one level floated a ballroom that might match 1,300 individuals.
In response to Reuters, the undertaking’s head architect, Shalom Baranes, mentioned the president’s workforce was not exploring growing the dimensions of the construct.
A mock-up of the White Home’s new 90,000-square-foot ballroom, set to be accomplished earlier than U.S. President Donald Trump’s present time period ends in early 2029.
The White Home
The brand new East Wing may even embrace a two-storey colonnade connecting the White Home’s East Room to the brand new ballroom.
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Baranes mentioned the administration was additionally contemplating a one-storey addition to the West Wing colonnade “to revive a way of symmetry” to the general White Home advanced, so it matches the two-storey East Wing.
Opponents of the undertaking have beforehand raised considerations that the brand new a part of the White Home may overshadow the primary mansion, and have questioned its legality. However a federal decide, whereas listening to a lawsuit alleging the reconstruction quantities to an abuse of presidential energy, selected to not halt development.
Trump’s aides have mentioned they didn’t want approval for the demolition however are searching for permission for the brand new construct.
When requested by one of many commissioners at Thursday’s assembly whether or not the ballroom’s peak could possibly be diminished, Baranes mentioned it was “not inconceivable.”
The NCPC is chaired by Will Scharf, Trump’s White Home workers secretary. He opened the assembly by saying the general public can have an opportunity to touch upon the undertaking at a later assembly.
A few commissioners raised considerations in regards to the undertaking’s dimension, however most have been supportive of the plans, together with Scharf.
“I believe it’s notable that when the president of the USA of America flies to the UK, he’s hosted at Windsor Fortress,” Scharf mentioned. “When subsequent yr the king … involves the USA, extra probably than not he can be hosted … in a tent on the South Garden with portapotties.”
It’s customary for U.S. presidents to host giant state dinners in tents on the White Home garden.
Josh Fisher, the director of administration and administration on the White Home, mentioned on the presentation that growing older roofing, water injury, outdated electrical wiring and different elements made the demolition and reconstruction of the East Wing probably the most cost-effective technique.
Demolition continues on the East Wing of the White Home, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, in Washington, earlier than development of a ballroom.
(AP Photograph/Jacquelyn Martin)
Earlier than the East Wing was torn down, the Trump administration insisted that the brand new ballroom wouldn’t encroach on the present mansion. An announcement in July 2025 says the ballroom can be “considerably separated from the primary constructing of the White Home.”
Demolition had already begun by the point the administration confirmed in October that the complete East Wing was being torn down.
— With recordsdata from Reuters
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