Trump calls new White House ballroom ‘most beautiful’ during Black History Month reception
WASHINGTON, DC: During a White House reception for Black History Month on Wednesday, February 18, President Donald Trump praised the new White House ballroom currently under construction, highlighting the long-anticipated project and its expanded capacity.
The proposed addition has drawn significant attention following the release of new renderings, while a separate legal challenge over the project continues to move forward in federal court. The ballroom, described as a 90,000-square-foot addition, is planned for the site of the demolished East Wing.
Trump highlights White House Ballroom project
Speaking at the reception, Trump pointed to the future expansion while addressing attendees. “This is a nice full room. You know, we have a ballroom being built right now,” he said.
Trump also emphasized that the event has consistently reached capacity during his presidency, “It has been ever since I've been President. Every year, it's been sold out. So, a lot of great friends,” he said.
He added that in about a year and a half, the new space would allow for significantly larger gatherings, “We'll be able to have about, I'd say, ten times the number. You can invite some friends that couldn't make it today because, frankly, this was a sold-out crowd.”
Referring to the planned design, he described a dramatic entrance into the new space, “See that curtain? You open that curtain, and it's a beautiful funnel right into the most beautiful ballroom. It's being built right now. So, it's pretty.”
He also noted the historical desire for such a facility. “And they wanted it for 150 years. We're getting it done a lot. We're getting a lot of other things done, too.”
More renderings of the ballroom were made available in a 31-page report submitted to the Commission of Fine Arts, which is set to meet on Thursday. The report included several new angles of the proposed ballroom, including a view from Pennsylvania Avenue.
Legal challenge and federal review of the Ballroom project
The project now faces a legal challenge that could determine whether construction may proceed. A federal judge is expected to deliver a ruling this month on whether the construction of the ballroom can continue after a historic preservation group challenged the project in court.
District Court Judge Richard Leon indicated that the case is likely to continue through the appeals process regardless of the outcome. “I know it will be appealed. Whichever side wins, the other side will appeal,” Leon said last month.
He continued, “So this case is going to go to the DC Circuit, for certain, and, maybe, perhaps even to the Supreme Court. Who knows?”
At issue is a lawsuit filed in December by the National Trust for Historic Preservation against Trump and several federal agencies. The group is seeking to halt construction, arguing that Trump should have sought Congress’s authorization before the demolition of the East Wing.
Trump’s legal team has argued in court that congressional approval was not required because the project is not using taxpayer funds and is instead being financed through private donations. The Trust for the National Mall, a nonprofit organization, is managing the $400 million in donations for the project.
The National Capital Planning Commission, described as the central planning agency of the federal government, is scheduled to vote on the project in a public hearing on March 5.
