Trump Is Building a 90,000-Square-Foot Ballroom on Top of the East Wing — Almost Double the Size of the Actual White House

President Donald Trump has unveiled a bold new expansion to the White House: a massive 90,000-square-foot ballroom that will sit atop the current East Wing, according to a press release issued on July 31.

To put that in perspective, the main White House structure — the Executive Residence — is only 55,000 square feet.

The new White House Ballroom, described by the administration as both “much-needed” and “exquisite,” will significantly boost event-hosting capacity. While the existing East Room can accommodate about 200 guests, the new space will hold up to 650.

According to the White House press release, the lack of a dedicated ballroom has often forced staff to use a “large and unsightly tent” for overflow guests. The release adds that while the new ballroom will be physically separated from the main White House building, it will preserve the theme and architectural integrity of the historic structure.

The ballroom will replace the current East Wing, which was originally built in 1942 to allow for the construction of an underground bunker. Since 1977, when Rosalynn Carter established the tradition, the East Wing has housed the first lady’s office — a role that continues under Melania Trump. Her staff will be temporarily relocated once construction begins this September.

The cost of the project is estimated at over $200 million, which the White House says will be covered by President Trump and private donors. No specific completion date has been given, but officials have said the ballroom will be finished “long before the end of President Trump’s term.”

Renderings of the interior reveal an opulent event space featuring gold chandeliers, a decorative coffered ceiling, Greek Corinthian columns, and large arched windows. The style is consistent with President Trump’s previous updates to the White House, including his redesign of the Oval Office.

An April report from The Wall Street Journal noted that Trump had enlisted cabinetmaker John Icart—referred to as his “gold guy”—to add gilded borders to his portraits, gold carvings to the fireplace mantel, and a Trump crest in one of the doorways.

Another notable renovation under Trump’s current term is the transformation of the White House Rose Garden. Once a green, manicured lawn, the area now resembles a concrete patio. Grass has been replaced by large tile slabs, marking a sharp contrast from the garden’s 1961 redesign under President John F. Kennedy.

Trump defended the change during a March interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox News, citing safety concerns: “You know, we use [the Rose Garden] for press conferences, and it doesn’t work because the people fall. The terrain can be wet, and the soft ground can be an issue for some… Women, with the high heels, it just didn’t work.”