WASHINGTON – Amid the loud noise of heavy machinery and construction work, President Donald Trump took a group of reporters on Tuesday to view the ongoing construction of his planned White House ballroom, built where the former East Wing once stood, as he worked to defend a project facing obstacles in Congress.
The administration is seeking $1 billion in taxpayer funding for security enhancements across the White House grounds, which includes the ballroom project. However, the Senate parliamentarian determined this proposal couldn’t be part of legislation funding immigrant enforcement agencies over three years, while multiple Republican lawmakers have expressed concerns about the cost during an election year when citizens are dealing with elevated prices for gas, food and other necessities driven higher by the Iran war and oil supply disruptions.
Acting as a salesman for his project, Trump unexpectedly brought White House reporters to an observation platform above the construction area on a windy, warm morning while hard-hatted workers in bright yellow safety vests worked below.
Display easels showing architectural drawings of the ballroom structure were arranged nearby, with at least one blown over by wind gusts. “Give that to me, I’ll hold it,” Trump said to a staff member.
“There will never be another building like this built, that I can tell you,” Trump said to the assembled media.
He emphasized the structure’s security features, particularly its “dead flat” roof constructed from “very strong steel” and described it as “drone-proof” because “if a drone hits it, it bounces off, it won’t have any impact — but it’s also meant as a drone port, so it protects all of Washington, the roof of the building.”
He explained that military personnel will “stay on it” to monitor the city.
Trump noted there’s no air conditioning or similar equipment on the rooftop for security purposes, saying all ductwork and similar systems were concealed inside the building’s walls, which will function as a “shield” for a military hospital, research areas, offices for the first lady and her team, and a complete kitchen — along with a ballroom capable of holding 1,000 guests.
He described how the ballroom structure extends six stories below ground and is truly “complex” because “everything is intertwined.”
“The roof goes with the ground floor, the ground floor goes with the roof. The roof also goes down into the basement,” the president explained. “This is one well-knit building. One thing doesn’t work without the other.”
He reiterated that the $400 million ballroom expense will be funded by donors, including himself, and that construction is proceeding “in strict coordination” with military officials and the U.S. Secret Service.
“This is not going to be paid for by the taxpayer,” Trump stated. “This is a gift to the United States of America.”
However, it appears to be a gift many don’t want, as surveys indicate most Americans are against the ballroom, which is currently involved in federal court battles. A Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll from April revealed that most Americans, 56%, disapprove of Trump’s choice to demolish the East Wing for the ballroom, with just 28% supporting it.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit to stop construction until Congress gives approval for the building plans.
Trump claimed he will have “very little” opportunity to use the ballroom himself. He recently stated it will be completed in September 2028, just under six months before his presidency concludes.
“This is really for other presidents,” he commented.
Trump avoided answering whether he would contribute more of his personal funds if Congress denies the $1 billion funding request.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle stated Trump’s construction tour wasn’t a response to congressional challenges. “President Trump is the most transparent president of all time and was excited to showcase to the press and American people the amazing gift he is giving to the White House and generations of future presidents to come,” Ingle commented.
Trump also discussed other beautification efforts he’s pursuing throughout the city, including reactivating inactive park fountains. He said he’s spending significantly less to restore the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool compared to his Democratic predecessors.
“I’m doing a job on the Reflecting Lake for a fraction of what they paid,” Trump said. He’s having the surface painted blue and aims to reopen it by July 4. Another nonprofit organization, The Cultural Landscape Foundation, has filed suit to stop this project as well.
