Demolition of part of the White House has already begun, making way for Donald Trump’s ambitious plan. The President of the United States will build a $200 million White House ballroom. A gigantic ballroom measuring nearly 8,400 square meters is planned for the East Wing of the presidential residence. The budget is partially covered by public funds, but mostly financed by private donations. The multi-million dollar renovation is already known as the Gold Room.
This is an unprecedented project that transforms the president’s home
The White House is undergoing one of its biggest transformations in years. Trump plans to build a gigantic 8,400-square-meter ballroom, as mentioned above, with the capacity to host galas for up to 650 guests. This is an unprecedented project that transforms the president’s home into almost a true palace, considering the changes already made to the White House, where the colors gold and gilt have dominated since Trump’s arrival. Now, Trump recently stated that the White House needed a place to accommodate large crowds. Some media outlets even report a capacity of 999 people in the new ballroom. Remember, the current capacity of the East Room did not exceed 200 people.
According to current information, the dimensions of the new ballroom are part of plans that have not been submitted to the planning authority. Continuing with the details of the Trump administration’s new Grand Ballroom, it’s fair to say that the carpeting is one of the things Trump has brought back from his first term. Carpeting characterized by the red color, typical of the Republican Party. This part of the White House, which is being demolished and renovated, houses offices for the First Lady and other functions. Trump’s goal is for the project to be completed before 2029, though it is unclear whether this will be during his term or after its completion, as a personal legacy for a president who is rewriting the history of his country with this second term.
The East Wing was added in 1902 and was last modified in 1942
The history of the White House has seen countless milestones and renovations throughout its two-century existence. The East Wing was added in 1902 and was last modified in 1942. “After an exhaustive study with some of the world’s finest architects, we decided to demolish it, trying to salvage a small section,” said Donald Trump regarding the renovation. In any case, the Society of Architectural Historians and the National Endowment for Historic Preservation have requested a halt until the final project is known and whether it fits with the historic integrity of the White House, protected as a “primary public property.”
Donald Trump’s mark will not only remain in American history
The scale of this massive renovation is truly underwhelming. The ballroom will represent the largest structural change to the Executive Mansion since the addition of the Truman Balcony overlooking the South Lawn in 1948. To be exact, the dazzling ballroom will be twice the size of the White House itself. Furthermore, the new ballroom would solve the current space problem, which becomes apparent during galas and capacity constraints often require the erection of outdoor tents for large receptions.
This isn’t Donald Trump’s first renovation of the historic White House. The president commissioned paving of the Rose Garden lawn, located next to the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room, and installed massive flagpoles on the North and South Lawns. Trump also noted that the entire building had changed “tremendously” from its original state and made it clear that, in his opinion, the renovation was necessary. As many believe, Trump’s style is very distinctive and distinct, as he demonstrated when he showed models of the room’s interior, which resembled the ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, his home in Florida. Ultimately, Donald Trump’s mark will not only remain in American history, but also in the halls of the White House.
