Why ballroom is at heart of Trump’s White House redesign PHOTO

A plan by US President Donald Trump to build a large ballroom at the White House has again become the subject of a public dispute after a federal judge imposed new hurdles on the project this week, adding to months of controversy surrounding the expansion plans.

Construction on the proposed extension began in September 2025, but has faced criticism over the use of public funds and concerns about altering the historic character of the presidential residence. Trump has long argued that the White House lacks adequate space for large-scale events, calling existing facilities too small and impractical.

"He is the builder-in-chief, in large part he was elected back to this People's House because he is good at building things. He has done it his entire life, his entire career," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during an appearance on Fox News in the past.

Currently, the largest indoor venue at the White House is the East Room, which can seat around 200 people for a formal dinner. For larger events, administrations have traditionally relied on outdoor tents erected on the White House grounds.

"You have to make it so it doesn't look like you're just outside sitting on a lawn … the decor with the flowers and the lighting and the chandelier, to tablescapes," Deesha Dyer, who was White House social secretary in the Obama White House, told the American news outlet NPR. "So, it's a rather large operation."

Recent administrations, including those of Barack Obama and Joe Biden, frequently hosted state dinners in temporary outdoor pavilions when guest lists exceeded indoor capacity. President Trump has proposed a ballroom capable of hosting up to 1,000 guests.

Ballroom plan sparks legal and heritage concerns

If completed, the ballroom would mark the most significant structural change to the White House in decades. Critics argue the project risks undermining the building’s historic integrity, while supporters say it would modernise its capacity to host diplomatic events.

The dispute intensified after a federal judge’s decision introduced new legal barriers, though details of the ruling remain under scrutiny. The project has also raised broader questions about presidential authority over alterations to nationally significant landmarks.

Redesign plans under Trump for White House grounds

The ballroom proposal is part of a broader effort by Trump to reshape the White House complex, having already undertaken several changes to the facilities. The Rose Garden has been partially paved with stone and repurposed for hosting events such as the so-called “Rose Garden Club” gatherings.

"It’s a beautiful white stone, and it’s a stone that’s the same colour as the White House itself," Trump said last August.

Inside the presidential palace, the Oval Office has also been redesigned with prominent gold accents, marking a stylistic shift from previous administrations.

Beyond the White House, Trump has proposed a ceremonial arch near the Arlington Memorial Bridge, inspired by Paris’s Arc de Triomphe. Early designs for the project have already secured approval from a federal arts panel this week.

Large ballrooms are a common feature of state residences worldwide, including the St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle in London (approx. 500 sqm.), the Salle des Fêtes at the Élysée Palace in Paris (600 sqm.), and the Georgievsky Hall in Moscow’s Grand Kremlin Palace—all significantly larger than the White House’s current event spaces.

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By Nazrin Sadigova