President Donald Trump says he is considering adding an “Upper West Wing” on top of the White House briefing room complex, continuing a series of changes to the historic property.
The proposal would place a second level above the colonnade that connects the West Wing to the main White House residence, according to The New York Times. Speaking to the outlet on the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 7, Trump said the idea is currently in the design phase and that he would proceed only if he approves the final concept.
Trump said the added floor could provide more office space for West Wing aides, or potentially serve as “first ladies’ offices for future first ladies.”
Trump’s remarks came ahead of a public meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission on Thursday, Jan. 8, where the White House presented updated plans for an East Wing renovation project.
During that meeting, architect Shalom Baranes—who is working on the high-profile ballroom project—said the White House had also discussed adding a modest one-story expansion to the West Wing to restore “symmetry” after the East Wing renovations are finished, according to New York Magazine’s Intelligencer.
“We’re considering the idea of a modest one-story addition to the West Wing,” Baranes said. “The reason to think about that is so that we would reinstate the symmetry around the central pavilion of the White House.”
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He added that the concept had not yet been closely studied and could be explored later.
The discussion follows a moment last summer when Trump was photographed walking along the White House roof. On Aug. 5, 2025, he spent about 10 minutes on the West Wing roof, where he appeared to look over the Rose Garden and toward the planned site of the privately funded White House ballroom, which began construction in September.
When reporters asked what he was doing, Trump shouted that he was “taking a little walk” and suggested he was looking for “more ways to spend my money for the country,” according to White House pool reports. Pressed about additional renovations beyond the Rose Garden and ballroom, he gestured with his hands and replied, “Something beautiful.”
In the same interview with The New York Times, Trump also described plans to remove the brick walkways in Lafayette Park and replace them with granite—saying he would personally pay for the project.
“I’m spending my own money and I’m going to redo it,” Trump said, estimating the cost at around $10 million. When asked whether taxpayers or donors would cover any of the expense, he insisted, “I pay everything.”
He said the change was driven by security concerns, claiming protesters could currently pull up bricks and throw them.
Trump’s broader renovation effort includes the large ballroom project on the White House grounds. Last month, he said the cost had risen to $400 million, up from earlier figures he cited publicly.
Trump announced the updated estimate during a Hanukkah reception at the White House on Dec. 17, 2025, saying a federal judge had allowed construction on the controversial project to continue. He repeatedly credited the ruling for enabling the work to move forward, calling it an act of “courage.”
“We’re donating a $400 million ballroom,” Trump said at the event, according to footage shared by CSPAN. “Myself and donors are giving them, free of charge, for nothing.”
Trump had previously cited costs of $250 million and later $300 million, while the White House initially estimated the project at $200 million.
Discussing the plans again in his interview with The New York Times, Trump said one of the primary goals was to create a secure location for major events such as an inauguration. He claimed the ballroom would feature bulletproof glass four to five inches thick.
“It’s not like it was 30 years ago,” Trump said. “You’ve got to make a speech today. They got the long ranges. They can go 10 football fields. Okay?”
He added that the venue was being designed with inauguration security in mind, including what he described as bulletproof glass and a “drone-proof roof,” saying even a large drone crashing into it would cause little damage.
