A new £151 million ‘exquisite’ ballroom is set to be built in the White House after President Trump became sick of relying on a tent for state dinners.
The ballroom, which will measure at around 90,000 sq ft, will be built in the East Wing of White House and will seat around 650 people.
Trump’s office argued the grand addition is ‘much needed’, and will be paid for directly by the President and anonymous donors.
Concept images show the ballroom will keep the same architectural style as the rest of the White House.
The inside will be lavishly decorated with chandeliers and ornate columns, while gold-coloured seats and what appears to be marble flooring.
This announcement does not come as a surprise, as Trump has repeatedly promised to build a ‘beautiful’ ballroom, even offering to give then-president Obama $100 million for its construction in 2016 – which he declined.
It will replace the White House’s East Room which is used for formal functions, and seats around 200 people.
The new room will also eliminate the need for the ‘large and unsightly tent’ used for larger events, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Leslie Greene Bowman, who is on the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, said: ‘The White House has a history of expansion to accommodate the changing needs of the nation’s chief executive.
‘I hope and trust that any proposed changes will honor and preserve the existing walls that have witnessed so much history. They are precious vessels of our legacy as a democracy.’
First Lady Melania Trump’s office will have to be temporarily relocated to allow for the construction.
Trump has already pushed through a number of renovations to the White House, including the installation of two large flagpoles
Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said: ‘The President and the Trump White House are fully committed to working with the appropriate organisations to preserving the special history of the White House, while building a beautiful ballroom that can be enjoyed by future administrations and generations of Americans to come.’
Trump said he is privately funding the project and will likely have some donors.
‘I think it will be a legacy project,’ he said, ‘And I think it’ll be special.’
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