Trump defends costly ballroom as he swaps architect, calls it 'under budget and ahead of schedule'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump launched a fresh round of criticism and clarification over his planned approximately $300 million White House ballroom, defending cost increases and blasting CNN in a blistering Truth Social post on Saturday, December 6.

“Caitlin Collin’s of Fake News CNN, always Stupid and Nasty, asked me why the new Ballroom was costing more money than originally thought one year ago. I said because it is going to be double the size and the quality of finishes and interiors has been brought to the highest level," the president said.

Trump says ballroom project under budget and ahead

In this Truth Social post, Trump further said, " Also, the column SPAN has been substantially increased for purposes of viewing. It is actually under budget and ahead of schedule, as my jobs always are."

"Interestingly, and seldom reported, there are no taxpayer dollars involved,” Trump added.

He added that the ballroom, funded by private donations, would be “much bigger and more beautiful than originally planned,” and again attacked CNN’s leadership, saying that the network’s ratings are “not even counted or relevant anymore.”

Trump admin replaces original architect

Behind Trump’s public defense of the project lies a quiet shake-up. According to The Washington Post, architect James McCrery II, whose boutique firm had been leading the ballroom design for more than three months, was replaced in late October.

The report, citing multiple people familiar with the project, said Trump and McCrery disagreed at times, especially over Trump’s push to expand the 90,000-square-foot design.

But it was ultimately the firm’s limited staffing and missed deadlines, one source said, that triggered the change. Another source noted that McCrery and Trump parted on good terms, though it remains unclear whether McCrery stepped aside voluntarily.

Shalom Baranes takes charge of the ballroom

The White House confirmed that Shalom Baranes, a respected Washington architect whose portfolio includes major federal buildings such as the main Treasury building, has been tapped to take over the project.

White House spokesperson David Ingle praised the selection, saying Baranes would help realize Trump’s vision for what he called “the greatest addition to the White House since the Oval Office -the White House Ballroom.”

“Shalom is an accomplished architect whose work has shaped the architectural identity of our nation’s capital for decades,” Ingle added.

The administration said McCrery will continue in a consulting role.

Demolition concerns and public backlash continue

The project has already drawn scrutiny, especially after satellite images in October showed the East Wing completely demolished, contradicting Trump’s earlier assurances that the historic building would remain untouched.

The new architect now faces not only an ambitious design brief but also mounting political and public pressure as the controversial ballroom project pushes forward.