Democrats post Buckingham Palace photo instead of White House to slam Trump’s ballroom project

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump’s extravagant ballroom project has drawn both support and backlash.

In an effort to amplify criticism, Democrats shared a video targeting Trump’s privately funded renovation but mistakenly used an image of Buckingham Palace’s East Wing instead of the White House.

The Republican Party quickly seized on the blunder on Thursday, October 23. “The DNC is so upset that President Trump is building a new ballroom,” a GOP official quipped. The GOP’s social media team further mocked the error, writing, “Too bad their intern used a photo of Buckingham Palace. Cry more, libs.'

Democrats confuse Buckingham Palace for White House in anti-Trump post

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) sparked ridicule online after confusing the White House’s East Wing with the East Wing of Buckingham Palace in a social media post criticizing Donald Trump’s latest renovation project.

In an Instagram reel, the DNC accused Trump of destroying the White House as part of his privately funded plan to add a 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The video, captioned “The People’s House destroyed by Trump,” featured vintage photos of the White House over the years with the text “The East Wing in a Different Time.” 

However, one of the images shown in the reel wasn’t the White House at all—it was Buckingham Palace in London. The post still managed to reach 149,067 likes before the error went viral. 

Republicans were quick to respond. “The DNC is so mad that President Trump is building a new ballroom at the White House, they posted a sad Instagram video last night,” the GOP wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Too bad their intern put in a photo of the East Wing in Buckingham Palace, not the White House.” The GOP’s post gained 203,400 likes and 1,600 shares within hours.

How the East Wing’s past connects to Trump’s ballroom vision

Notably, the current East Wing is not part of the original White House Executive Residence, which dates back to the late 18th century. It was added in the 1940s as an auxiliary structure, built to conceal the construction of an emergency bunker for President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II, according to whitehousehistory.org.

Trump’s planned ballroom, however, is a far larger and more prominent addition, designed to host major state dinners and high-profile events. According to Elle Decor, the 90,000-square-foot space will cost about $300 million and can accommodate up to 999 guests. The ballroom was first announced in July 2025.