MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Construction of White House's ballroom underway

Trump's donor-funded dream has drawn criticism from the opposition

The White House has begun the demolition of a portion of the East Wing to make way for President Donald Trump's planned US$250 million ballroom. First built in 1902, the East Wing has been renovated multiple times, with a second floor added in 1942.

The donor-funded project -at “zero cost to the American Taxpayer,” according to President Donald Trump- is intended to accommodate 650 people for large events and state visits. Trump stated he was “honored” to be the first president to get the long-dreamed-of plan underway.

The 90,000-square-foot ballroom is expected to be completed “long before the end of President Trump's term” in January 2029. The new structure will represent an improvement from the East Room's current 200-person capacity.

The demolition has drawn harsh criticism from Democrats and administration detractors, who posted protests online. Senator Andy Kim called the billionaire-funded ballroom “disgusting,” and the Democratic Party accused Trump of tearing down a historic part of the White House for a “golden ballroom.”

The Republican administration defended the move, with Director of Communications Steven Cheung stating that construction was a necessary part of the White House's evolution and that the building needed modernizing. “Losers who are quick to criticize need to stop their pearl-clutching and understand the building needs to be modernized. Otherwise, you're just living in the past,” he posted on X.

“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.” Trump said on Truth Social. “Ground has been broken on the White House grounds to build the new, big beautiful White House Ballroom,” he added. This project has been a dream of Trump since before his first term as president. “It's going to be a great ballroom,” he pointed out.