WASHINGTON — The construction project newly underway at the White House for President Donald Trump’s planned ballroom is causing mounting backlash, which the administration is dubbing "manufactured outrage" and “pearl clutching.”
The criticism began rolling in Monday when images of the demolition surfaced online and Trump took to Truth Social to declare that ground had been broken on construction of his “new, big, beautiful White House Ballroom.” The photos showed bulldozers tearing down a portion of the outside of the East Wing, which is connected to the main White House building and typically houses a workspace for the first lady and other offices. Windows and pieces of the walls were seen laying on the ground next to construction equipment.
Trump on Wednesday steadfastly defended his efforts to build what he referred to as one of the greatest ballrooms "anywhere in the world." He put the new cost estimate at $300 million for the structure, although stressing it will be covered by him and private donors he called "some friends." He also responded to criticism that the photos seemed to contradict initial statements that the new ballroom would only touch the East Wing rather than tear it down.
"In order to do it properly, we had to take down the existing structure," Trump said.
A number of Democratic lawmakers pounced on the striking images that came out Monday to criticize the president. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a frequent foe of the president, remarked Trump was “ripping apart” the White House just like he is the Constitution, while Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., used it to slam the commander in chief for the cost of living in the country.
Karine Jean-Pierre, who served as the press secretary to Democratic former President Joe Biden at the end of his tenure in office, referred to it as “corruption at its core” in an appearance on ABC’s “The View,” while Hillary Clinton –– a former secretary of state, first lady and Trump’s 2016 Democratic rival for the White House –– bashed the move in a post on X.
“It’s not his house,” Clinton wrote. “It’s your house. And he’s destroying it.”
On Wednesday the topic reached congressional leaders at their daily briefings and hearings amid the now 22-day government shutdown. Democratic House leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York argued his party was working to defend Americans against rising costs of living and protect their health care while “the East Wing of the White House is being demolished so that Donald Trump can construct a ballroom where he will be celebrated like a king."
The pushback is also coming from some organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, whose mission is to protect and advocate for America’s historic sites. The group’s CEO and president penned a letter to the National Capital Planning Commission, the National Park Service and the Commission of Fine Arts in which she called for the demolition efforts to be paused until the proposed ballroom goes through the “legally required public review processes,” as multiple outlets have reported the project is moving ahead without approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, which typically signs off on such work.
“While the National Trust acknowledges the utility of a larger meeting space at the White House, we are deeply concerned that the massing and height of the proposed new construction will overwhelm the White House itself—it is 55,000 square feet—and may also permanently disrupt the carefully balanced classical design of the White House with its two smaller, and lower, East and West Wings,” The National Trust for Historic Preservation President and CEO Dr. Carol Quillen wrote.
The new ballroom will be 90,000 square feet.
The White House has been quick to respond to the criticism via both official press statements and on social media by pointing to previous construction projects past presidents have overseen on the grounds.
“In the latest instance of manufactured outrage, unhinged leftists and their Fake News allies are clutching their pearls over President Donald J. Trump’s visionary addition of a grand, privately funded ballroom to the White House," the White House wrote in a press release that included a detailed account of past projects.
At his daily press briefing to discuss the government shutdown Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., echoed that message, noting previous commanders in chief added features such as the West Wing, a swimming pool, bowling alley and basketball court.
“President Trump’s going to add the greatest improvement to the White House in the history of the building since it was originally constructed,” Johnson declared. “The ballroom is gonna be glorious. It’s going to be used for everybody.”
White House communications director Steven Cheung, meanwhile, referred to those pushing back as “losers” while press secretary Karoline Leavitt went on Fox News to argue presidents “for decades have quipped about how they wish they had a larger event space” on the grounds to host events with more people.
The White House originally revealed plans to build the new ballroom in July, saying it would cost $200 million and seat 650 people. Since then, the cost estimate rose to $250 million, and now $300 million, while the anticipated capacity grew to nearly 1,000 people. The cost is said to be covered by Trump himself and private donors.
“I am honored to be the first President to finally get this much-needed project underway — with zero cost to the American Taxpayer!” Trump wrote in his post on Truth Social this week. “The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly.”
He also noted that the East Wing would be "fully modernized as part of this process."
The president has also pointed out the sounds of construction in the background at multiple events he has hosted at the White House this week.
Trump, a child of real estate, has already made a point to leave his mark on the White House, installing large new flags on the grounds, adding gold accents to the Oval Office and redoing the Rose Garden, including putting pavement over the grass and adding patio furniture that many say resembles that at his Florida club, Mar-a-Lago.