Demolition Begins to Make Way for New ‘World-Class’ White House Ballroom

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump on Oct. 20 launched a major renovation at the White House, beginning demolition of the East Wing to build a privately funded ballroom.

“We took over a building that was not properly taken care of,” Trump said on Oct. 21, while hosting Republican senators for lunch at the newly renovated White House Rose Garden.

He said construction is underway to build “a world-class ballroom” to replace the small East Room cocktail area.

The 90,000-square-foot ballroom will stand apart from the main building of the White House and is expected to cost more than $200 million.

Built in 1902 and expanded with a second story in 1942, the East Wing houses the office of the first lady.

Trump noted the “beautiful sound” of ongoing construction work, joking that it was “music to my ears.”

“I love that sound,” Trump told his guests. “It reminds me of money. In this case, it reminds me of lack of money because I’m paying for it. So, it’s the opposite.”

Trump previously said the construction of the ballroom will be funded privately, with no taxpayer funds involved. It will be financed by the president and other private donors, including some “great American companies.”

Trump said that the addition will “be one of the most beautiful ballrooms anywhere in the world.”

Since taking office, Trump has made a series of renovations at the White House.

During the meeting with Republican senators, Trump highlighted the changes to the Rose Garden—now called the Rose Garden Club—which included replacing the grass with stone.

“We got a stone that’s the exact same stone and color as the White House itself, because we wanted the friendly feeling of that light color, and it reflects the sun and it keeps you cool, even in the summer,” Trump said.

He also pointed to the new “Presidential Walk of Fame” outside the West Wing, featuring the portraits of past presidents. And he noted that the old tiled floors in the hallway leading to the Rose Garden have been replaced with marble.

“That was made out of Home Depot tiles, about one foot by one foot. They were all broken—about 30 years old. And I replaced it with book-matched marble paid for by your friend, President Trump,” he said.

Trump stated on Truth Social on Oct. 20 that the East Wing will be “fully modernized” as part of the ballroom construction process.

“I am pleased to announce that ground has been broken on the White House grounds to build the new, big, beautiful White House Ballroom,” the president said.

“For more than 150 years, every President has dreamt about having a Ballroom at the White House to accommodate people for grand parties, State Visits, etc. I am honored to be the first President to finally get this much-needed project underway—with zero cost to the American Taxpayer.”

Trump said at a dinner event last week that the ballroom would be able to accommodate up to 999 people, up from the originally announced seated capacity of 650 people in July.

Currently, only about 200 people can be seated in the East Room, where many social events at the White House are held.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on July 31 that the White House, despite its history and beauty, is unable to host large events without erecting a tent on the White House lawn, where state dinners are usually held.

In response to media criticism, the White House issued a statement on Oct. 21 noting that U.S. presidents have been renovating and expanding the residence for more than a century.

The statement highlighted several historical examples.

In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt built the West Wing. In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson demolished the colonial garden, replacing it with a rose garden. In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt expanded the West Wing with a second floor, a swimming pool, and a larger basement—while relocating the Oval Office to its current location. And in 1948, President Harry Truman carried out a “total reconstruction” of the White House interior.

The White House first announced the project in July. The construction phase began in September and involved tree removal on the south grounds and other site preparation work. The ballroom is expected to be completed “long before” the end of Trump’s presidency in early 2029, according to the White House statement.

The lead designers will be Washington-based McCrery Architects, while Maryland-based Clark Construction will build the ballroom. Texas-based AECOM will do the engineering.

The Associated Press and Jackson Richman contributed to this report.