Trump Administration Moves Forward With Plan for $200 Million White House Ballroom

The White House announced it will move forward with plans to break ground on a $200 million ballroom to entertain world leaders, valued guests, and future administrations—an effort championed by President Donald Trump.

“For 150 years, Presidents, Administrations, and White House Staff have longed for a large event space on the White House complex that can hold substantially more guests than currently allowed. President Donald J. Trump has expressed his commitment to solving this problem on behalf of future Administrations and the American people,” according to a White House press release.

The new addition will be approximately 90,000 square feet. Currently, only 200 people are allowed in the White House event space, located in the East Wing, and the president plans to create seating for an additional 450 guests.

“The White House is one of the most beautiful and historic buildings in the world, yet the White House is currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders and other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building entrance,” the statement reads.

Who’s in charge of the project?

President Trump chose McCrery Architects as the lead architect, relying on the firm’s extensive portfolio and considering the company’s home base in Washington, D.C.

“Presidents in the modern era have faced challenges hosting major events at the White House because it has been untouched since President Harry Truman,” says McCrery Architects CEO Jim McCrery. “I am honored that President Trump has entrusted me to help bring this beautiful and necessary renovation to The People’s House, while preserving the elegance of its classical design and historical importance.”

He also designed the pedestal under the Reagan statue in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, which includes a band of concrete pieces from the Berlin Wall, according to the architect of the Capitol. McCrery Architects has a diverse portfolio, including churches, residences, and public spaces—known for their traditional and classical architectural designs.

Clark Construction will also be part of the coveted project, as well as the engineering team at AECOM.

“The White House State Ballroom will be a much-needed and exquisite addition of approximately 90,000 total square feet of innately designed and carefully crafted space,” according to a statement read by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Over the last few months, President Trump has facilitated several meetings with members of the White House Staff, the National Park Service, the White House Military Office, and the United States Secret Service to discuss the process of bringing the $200 million ballroom vision to life.

A long-anticipated plan

The president plans to separate the new construction from the main building of the White House but maintain its theme and architectural heritage, according to the White House.

The ballroom will be constructed where the previous “small, heavily changed, and reconstructed” East Wing currently sits. Constructed in 1902, the East Wing has been renovated and modified many times, with a second story added in 1942.

Leavitt said the cost would be footed by Trump himself as well as “other patriot donors.”

President Trump has long complained about the White House’s lack of event quarters—even mentioning the idea of a new ballroom in interviews and conversations.

Earlier this year, the president spoke to a group of athletes in the East Wing, saying, “This was going to be the reception room. I was going to build a beautiful, beautiful ballroom like I have at Mar-a-Lago. It was going to cost about $100 million. I offered to do it, and I never heard back,” as per NPR.

The ballroom project will begin in September 2025, and it is set to be up and running long before the end of President Trump’s term.

“President Trump is a builder at heart and has an extraordinary eye for detail,” said White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles in a statement.

“The President and the Trump White House are fully committed to working with the appropriate organizations to preserving the special history of the White House while building a beautiful ballroom that can be enjoyed by future Administrations and generations of Americans to come.”