Video: President Trump’s new ballroom demolished
A crane has been spotted near the White House as the next phase of President Trump’s $200 million, 90,000-square-foot East Wing expansion begins.
- Construction is underway on a new ballroom at the White House, an initiative of President Donald Trump.
- The walls of the east wing were demolished for this project.
- See photos of the ballroom that President Trump added to his Mar-a-Lago, Florida mansion.
Construction is underway on President Donald Trump’s new White House ballroom.
President Trump previously said the new ballroom would not affect the existing White House structure, but images show that walls in the east wing have been torn down.
President Trump has already made several changes to the White House, including gold decorations in the Oval Office and a new patio in the Rose Garden, both of which reflect the aesthetic of his Florida mansion, Mar-a-Lago.
Will Washington, D.C.’s new ballroom mirror that of the Winter White House? See photos of the D.C. ballroom renderings and photos of the interior of the Donald J. Trump Ballroom at Mar-a-Lago.
What is President Trump doing with the White House? The east wing wall was demolished
President Trump announced in July that a new ballroom was being built at the White House. He has long complained about large White House events being held in tents.
President Trump said construction began on Oct. 20 with the removal of the east wing wall. He called it “a knockout panel, straight into the ballroom.”
The east wing traditionally houses the first lady’s office.
Check out photos of the demolition process:
See renderings of the new White House ballroom
White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt said at a press conference in July that while the ballroom will be separate from the rest of the White House, “the theme and architectural heritage will be largely the same.”
She also said it could accommodate 650 guests, but President Trump later told NBC News that the capacity would be “a little bit bigger” and could accommodate 900 guests.
Check out the new ballroom renderings.
The ballroom at Mar-a-Lago is also decorated with gold: see photos
President Trump also renovated Mar-a-Lago and added a ballroom, which was completed in late 2004, nearly a decade after the club opened. The Palm Beach Daily News reported that President Trump has encountered similar problems in the White House. There wasn’t enough space indoors to host a large event, so large tents had to be used instead.
President Trump told the Palm Beach Daily News in 1996, “Because of the success of Mar-a-Lago, we need a ballroom. It’s been so successful that crowds are potentially dangerous to the facility, and a ballroom could solve that problem.”
According to news reports, the first major event in the new ballroom was a New Year’s Eve party in 2005. President Trump and first lady Melania Trump held their wedding reception in the ballroom shortly after.
See photos of the Donald J. Trump Ballroom at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.
Is President Trump paying for the banquet hall?
Yes, Trump said he would pay for the banquet hall with his own money and private donations. The cost is expected to be $250 million.
Contributed by: USA TODAY, Zac Anderson, Joey Garrison, James Powel, and Kristina Webb of the Palm Beach Daily News.
Kinsey Crowley is a Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Please contact kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky (@kinseycrowley.bsky.social).
