Trump Gives Stunning Reply When Asked About Names of Donors for $200M White House Ballroom Addition
President Donald Trump said Friday that he may be the only donor for the $200 million ballroom addition to the White House complex.
A reporter asked the president, “How many donors do you think it is going to take to get the $200 million?”
“Maybe one: Me,” Trump answered.
“You would cut that check yourself?” a reporter followed up.
“I would,” Trump answered.
President Trump says he would be willing to cut the check to pay for the new White House ballroom.
REPORTER: “How many donors to get to $200M?”
TRUMP: “Maybe one: Me.” pic.twitter.com/odiEw81tQf
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 1, 2025
On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt noted during a news briefing, “President Trump and other donors have generously committed to donating the funds necessary to build this approximately $200 million structure.”
She said that the ballroom will be a “much-needed and exquisite addition.” It will be 90,000 square feet and will let presidents host events for up to 650 people, more than tripling the East Room’s current approximately 200-person capacity.
The new ballroom will be “substantially separated” from the main building of the White House, yet “its theme and architectural heritage will be almost identical,” Leavitt said.
BREAKING: @PressSec announces the construction of a new 90,000 sq ft ballroom at the White House — with construction to begin in September.
Visit https://t.co/Nq7Vqlw3HO for more. pic.twitter.com/XadWWxOGON
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 31, 2025
Past administrations have set up large tents on the White House lawn when presidents hosted large sit-down functions, such as state dinners for foreign leaders, she noted.
Inside look of the tent on the White House south lawn for the Italian PM state dinner pic.twitter.com/KcD350TClU
— shannon A (@shogustus) October 19, 2016
Construction on the new ballroom will begin in September, with McCrery Architects, Clark Construction, and AECOM tapped for the project.
The facility is “expected to be completed long before the end of President Trump’s term,” Leavitt said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Thursday that construction will soon begin on a White House ballroom. The addition will be 90,000 square feet.
Leavitt said Trump and unidentified donors would be paying for the $200 million addition. https://t.co/FTP3npBMUq pic.twitter.com/5Ea0NbuQPo
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 31, 2025
“We’re good at building,” Trump said on Thursday. “I’m good at building things, and we’ll get it built quickly and on time. It’ll be beautiful — top of the line.”
“It will be a great legacy project. I think it will be special,” he added.
.@POTUS on the newly announced White House ballroom: “We’ve been planning it for a long time. They’ve wanted a ballroom at the White House for more than 150 years… I’m good at building things and we’ll get it built quickly and on time.” pic.twitter.com/fhbv3LXGFT
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 31, 2025
Newsweek reported that the new ballroom will be the largest building project undertaken on the grounds since a major renovation of the White House itself from 1948 to 1952 during the presidency of Harry Truman.
Before him, President Theodore Roosevelt oversaw the addition of the West Wing, which was completed in 1902.
Since returning to office, Trump has installed large flag poles in front and behind the White House, enhanced the Oval Office with golden embroidery and fixtures, and started creating a stone patio in the Rose Garden.
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