A model of the White House and the new ballroom, right, as seen on a table as President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington on October 22, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP
When President Donald Trump pulled the drape off a scale model in the Oval Office this week, the subject wasn’t policy or defence — it was marble. The President unveiled plans for what he called the “most beautiful ballroom anywhere in the world,” a $300 million addition to the White House that he says will be funded entirely by private donors and his own money.
A builder’s dream inside the White House
Mr. Trump told reporters the project had already raised $350 million, exceeding its estimated cost. “All donor money and money that we put up, we’ve raised,” he said. “It’s going to be… the most beautiful ballroom anywhere in the world, I think.”
Asked how much of his own fortune he was contributing, Mr. Trump smiled: “I won’t be able to tell you until I finish, but I’ll donate whatever is needed, I’ll tell you that.” He added later, “Oh, millions of dollars. Yeah.”
The ballroom — sometimes referred to by aides as the Trump Ballroom — will replace the existing East Wing structure, with renderings showing chandeliers, sweeping staircases, and arched windows. Its neoclassical design, reminiscent of Mar-a-Lago, reflects the president’s long-standing affinity for grand interiors and visible legacy projects.
“You’ve seen the model in the Oval Office,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during Thursday’s (October 23, 2025) briefing. “This is going to be a magnificent addition to the White House for many years to come — and it’s not costing taxpayers anything.”
Privately funded, publicly scrutinised
The White House maintains that the project is legally sound and privately financed, citing long-standing legal opinions exempting demolitions from review by the National Capital Planning Commission. “Only for vertical construction will a submission be required,” Leavitt explained, emphasising that “the president is privately funding this ballroom addition to the White House grounds.”
When questioned about transparency, she pointed to a donor list already released and said more names would follow. “The president has been incredibly transparent,” Leavitt said. “Perhaps there will be more people who want to contribute to this project generously — and the president has committed his own resources.”
One donor, Trump added, had already written a $130 million check to cover potential shortfalls. “That’s what I call a patriot,” he said, declining to identify the contributor.
A glided legacy
Mr. Trump has often described himself as a “builder at heart,” and the ballroom fits neatly into that identity. “His heart and his mind are always churning about how to improve things here on the White House grounds,” Ms. Leavitt said.
At the same time, the president sees the ballroom as part of a broader effort to restore what he considers a neglected residence. “This house was a little bit abandoned,” he told reporters. “I take very good care of property… I spent millions of dollars on this building, taking care of it. It was not properly maintained. And now it’s starting to gleam like it should.”
He said he personally paid for new marble flooring and chandeliers in the Palm Room, adding, “You should go down and visit the Presidential Walk of Fame. It’s quite, quite good.”
While critics have labelled the ballroom a vanity project, Trump and his team frame it as an act of stewardship. “Trust the process,” Ms. Leavitt told reporters. “It’s going to be magnificent.”
This article is published in an arrangement with 5WH.
Published – October 24, 2025 07:16 am IST
