In a dramatic display of his trademark flair for spectacle, U.S. President Donald Trump has kicked off a massive $250 million renovation project at the White House, beginning with the partial demolition of the East Wing. Construction crews were seen tearing down sections of the building on Monday as part of Trump’s plan to build a grand new presidential ballroom.
Speaking while hosting college baseball players at the White House, Trump remarked, “Right on the other side you have a lot of construction that you might hear occasionally.” Later that day, the 79-year-old president officially announced on Truth Social that work had begun on what he described as “a big, beautiful White House Ballroom.”
According to Trump, the East Wing will be “fully modernized” as part of the expansion. Traditionally, the East Wing houses the offices of the First Lady, while the President works in the West Wing and resides in the Executive Mansion.
The new 90,000-square-foot ballroom, capable of hosting up to 1,000 guests, is intended for large state dinners and other events that currently require outdoor tents. Trump emphasized that the project will be privately funded by “generous patriots, great American companies, and, yours truly,” noting that the ballroom will serve future generations.
Last week, Trump hosted a lavish donor dinner at the White House attended by executives from major firms including Amazon, Apple, Meta, Google, Microsoft, and Lockheed Martin, as well as crypto entrepreneurs Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss.
The ballroom project marks the most ambitious phase of Trump’s ongoing White House makeover since returning to office in January, a series of changes that also includes gold décor in the Oval Office and a redesigned Rose Garden. He has also proposed constructing a monumental arch in Washington, which some have dubbed the “Arc de Trump.”
source: Channels
