From Truman to Trump: White House Transformations Continue

Construction is underway on a controversial new addition to the White House: a $250 million ballroom championed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Demolition began this week on part of the East Wing, originally built in 1942 under Franklin D. Roosevelt, to make room for a grand events hall that Trump says will host state dinners and large gatherings of up to 900 guests.

The project—funded by Trump and private donors whose identities remain undisclosed—has raised questions about transparency and preservation. Architectural historians and heritage groups warn that this is the first major exterior alteration to the White House in more than 80 years and should undergo public review.

The National Park Service typically oversees such changes, but experts note that the process appears to be fast-tracked. Still, Trump’s move fits a long tradition of presidential renovations, from Truman’s postwar rebuild to Obama’s basketball-court expansion.

As the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, the ballroom stands to become one of the most significant—and debated—additions to “The People’s House.”