Donald Trump and the architect overseeing construction of the new White House ballroom have reportedly clashed over how large the project should be, according to a new report from The Washington Post.
In an article published Wednesday, Nov. 26, the outlet cited several anonymous sources who said the president, 79, and architect James C. McCrery II disagree about the scale of the new addition.
According to the Post, McCrery, 60, advised Trump that the planned 90,000-square-foot expansion would significantly exceed the existing 55,000 square feet of the main White House structure, breaking with a common architectural principle that additions should not visually overpower the original building.
In response, a White House official says, “McCrery has been and continues to be a consultant on the Ballroom project. As with any building, there is a conversation between the principal and the architect.
“All parties are excited to execute on the President’s vision on what will be the greatest addition to the [White House] since the Oval Office,” the official added.
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McCrery has previously described the ballroom project as a “beautiful and necessary renovation to The People’s House.”
The construction of the ballroom was first announced in a July press release, which described it as a “much-needed and exquisite addition” that would sit atop the now-demolished East Wing.
White House officials have said Trump wanted a larger, permanent event space because guests were often hosted in a “large and unsightly tent” for outdoor functions.
“The White House Ballroom will be substantially separated from the main building of the White House, but at the same time, its theme and architectural heritage will be almost identical,” the release said.
Trump’s plan for the multi-million-dollar project includes a sprawling great room with elaborate gold details. The ballroom is expected to feature gold chandeliers, an ornate coffered ceiling, Greek Corinthian columns and tall, arched windows on each wall, as well as space for numerous round tables and gold chairs.
During a Nov. 4 appearance on the Today show, former first lady Michelle Obama and host Jenna Bush Hager — daughter of former president George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush — discussed the ongoing construction.
After agreeing that “there’s no guidebook,” Obama, 61, told Hager, 44, “There’s barely a staff. Now we don’t have a building.”
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Hager then joked, “I know. R.I.P. the East Wing.”
Obama later spoke in more depth about the project on the Jamie Kern Lima Show podcast.
“It’s not about me, it’s about us and our traditions and what they stand for. I think in my body, I felt confusion because I’m like, ‘Well, who are we? What do we value and who decides that?’ ” she said.
Trump has overseen a series of changes to historic parts of the residence during his two terms, including renovations to the Rose Garden, the Cabinet Room, the Oval Office and other areas of the White House complex.
