Inside Trump's WH ballroom: Rare photos reveal unfinished interiors as he signs final ceiling beam

Trump toured the construction site alongside Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and other officials. The visit came a day after Democrats won control of Congress in the midterm elections. Burgum praised Trump's construction efforts, calling him "the builder in chief."

Trump shook hands with workers involved in building the ballroom, which replaced the demolished East Wing. The president defended his interest in the project, telling reporters, "I love construction." He said working on such projects helped him relax.

The visit offered a rare glimpse of the ballroom's scale, with exposed steel framing and towering concrete columns. Trump outlined plans for an elaborate interior featuring Corinthian-style columns, marble flooring and chandeliers. He described the project as "top of the line."

Speaking to construction crews, Trump praised the building's design and described it as "the safest place in Washington" once completed. He said the structure would extend five stories underground, with a subterranean kitchen intended to preserve more space in the main ballroom.

Trump added his signature to the final structural steel beam alongside names left by construction workers. According to CBS News and the Associated Press, the president also wrote "Love!" above his signature, which appeared between two golden presidential seals. The signing formed part of the project's topping-out ceremony.

A crane lifted the signed beam through an opening in the unfinished roof, marking the final structural steel placement. Trump praised the precision of the construction work, telling reporters, "Pretty amazing, isn't it?" The installation marked a major step toward completing the building's steel framework. However, the ballroom still faced further construction work and legal challenges before its expected 2028 opening.