Trump reveals 'very expensive' White House ballroom will not cost taxpayers 'one penny'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump drew applause at the annual National Governors Association Dinner on Saturday night as he confirmed that the construction of the new ballroom at the White House would not use any taxpayer dollars.

Held in the East Room of the White House, the event brought together governors from across the country. Trump was flanked by Vice President JD Vance and first lady Melania Trump as he used the occasion to tout a national economic revival and detail the privately funded ballroom project.

Trump confirms 'zero' taxpayer dollars spent on new ballroom

Trump couldn't help gushing about the new ballroom construction, a project long discussed but finally underway.

“We're building a ballroom for a hundred and fifty years," he began. "They've wanted a great ballroom, not a great one, just give me a room because this is a very small room, can hold very small numbers of people, and they've wanted a great ballroom," he said, "and we're building, we're gonna build the greatest ballroom anywhere in the world. There'll be nothing like it.”

He pointed to the planned entrance. “And you're looking right here at the entrance. This is a knockout panel exactly where the gold curtains are. And when that gets opened, there's a magnificent walkway that goes into what will be the most beautiful ballroom anywhere in the world.”

The president stressed that the project was being funded at zero cost to taxpayers, drawing applause from the governors.

“So we did this, no charge to the taxpayer whatsoever," he declared. "This was all donations made by friends of mine and people that love our country. They love the White House, Preservation Society, the whole group, but not one penny, and it's, it's a very expensive building, very expensive ballroom, but beautiful and in keeping with the White House, an enhancement to the White House.”

He elaborated on the need for a swankier ballroom. “But they've needed it for years, when they had a big event when the president of China comes in, when somebody comes in of magnitude, they put a tent out on the lawn," he said. "If it rained, you were in deep trouble because the only part of the lawn that they can do it is a very low section. So it would be, you know, a little embarrassing when you're sitting down with the king of Saudi Arabia and he's sitting in a puddle with four inches of water over his shoes. It was not exactly good, but it's under construction.”

Trump highlighted the project's longevity. “But right through, that's gonna be a very famous portal for hopefully hundreds of years because what we're building is really special," he said, "But so important to say because nobody ever reports it, it will be totally, totally tax free. Not one penny of tax will be, donated to this and, it's gonna be something that I think the country will be very proud of when it opens, but for hundreds hopefully, hundreds and hundreds of years.”

Estimated at 90,000 square feet, the ballroom is nearly twice the size of the current White House at 55,000 square feet. It will replace the demolished East Wing and is designed to seat up to 650 people and could accommodate about 1,000 standing. Construction began after the East Wing was razed in October 2025, with completion slated for 2028.

The US Commission of Fine Arts approved the design on Thursday. Commission chair Rodney Mims Cook Jr supported the plan, noting it would eliminate the need for temporary tents on the South Lawn for large events.

Legal scrutiny

Notably, the ballroom project has faced partisan backlash and legal challenges. The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a federal lawsuit last year to halt construction, arguing it violates historic preservation laws. 

The White House previously defended the project in a July 2025 statement. “The White House State Ballroom will be a much-needed and exquisite addition of approximately 90,000 total square feet of ornately designed and carefully crafted space," they said, noting the need for a larger event space for future administrations.