Trump Releases First Rendering of the Planned White House Ballroom

President Donald Trump unveiled the first rendering of the planned $400 million ballroom to replace the East Wing of the White House, on Tuesday night.

The rendering is the first finalized look for the new 90,000-square-foot ballroom project under construction in Washington, DC, after the East Wing was demolished last fall. Trump said the project replaces a "very small, dilapidated, and rebuilt many times" part of the building. The new ballroom will seat 1,000 guests.

"Being an identical height and scale, it is totally in keeping with our historic White House," Trump said in the Truth Social post, also adding, "This space will serve our Country well for, hopefully, Centuries into the future!"

The view of the rendering is from the Treasury building just east of the White House, across a street that isn't open to the public. The closest look a pedestrian might get of the building would be from the north along Pennsylvania Avenue, or else at a distance from the Ellipse to the south.

The most visible north wall is a replica of the facade of the main White House building, with the other two sides featuring colonnades and arched windows. Trump put out an executive order last year to emphasize classical architecture in public buildings in the District.

Doubling the size of the White House

Contractors began knocking down the 150-year-old East Wing in September, to much controversy. This demolition removed several historic elements including Jacqueline Kennedy’s White House Garden.

Planners expect the ballroom, which Trump says was financed by private donors, will be complete by 2028. It will double the square footage of the White House when finished.

The National Capital Planning Commission, which reviews projects on public land, got a first look at the project in January. Shalom Baranes came aboard the project as architect late last year.

The "incremental adaptations over time" to the building have stressed the most historic parts of the building, known as the executive mansion. And that's led to "labyrinthine" support areas to the building built in a disorganized manner over time, Baranes said.

A purpose-built expansion helps reduce wear and tear, Baranes said. Dense clusters of trees reduce what the public will see of the building, he said. Its stone and pre-cast design mirrors the rest of the building.

Josh Fisher, director of management and administration at the White House, cited many deficiencies in the East Wing's structure.

But the demolition was the cheapest option, he said. It creates a better event option than the tents set up on the White House lawn to host big events. It will also better handle large events than the former rooms in the East Wing, Fisher said.

There's a "potential" to expand the West Wing as well to create "symmetry," Baranes said. But the White House isn't currently planning that project.

Trump is, controversially, making a mark on the architecture of the city. He is aiming to build a new arch near Arlington National Cemetery to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding. He also announced renovation plans at the Trump-Kennedy Center, which could see major construction.