Prime Highlights:
- White House to be offered a privately financed $200 million ballroom instead of the East Wing.
- 650 seated people will be housed in the New State Ballroom, triple that of the current East Room.
Key Fact:
- The 90,000 sq ft building will start construction in September 2025.
- McCrery Architects developed and AECOM designed the building, the largest addition since 1948.
Key Background
The White House will experience its most dramatic structural transformation in some eight decades with the construction of a 90,000-square-foot State Ballroom. The Trump administration has announced, to be carried out between September 2025 and finished in late President Trump’s present term by 2029. The addition, interestingly, will be fully paid for by private contributions, led by Trump and a group of anonymous patriotic donors, and not by taxpayer contributions.
The new ballroom will replace the existing East Wing and serve as a high-capacity area for white-tie events such as state dinners and foreign ceremonies. Such has been in need for long, given the fact that the existing East Room accommodates a maximum of 200 seated guests. The new facility will accommodate 650, addressing logistical challenges and reducing dependence on outdoor temporary functions.
The design style will be in keeping with the historic style of the White House. McCrery Architects will serve as design leaders, while Clark Construction will handle execution. AECOM will be responsible for verifying the structural integrity and procedural security to be contained within the ballroom. Although the ballroom will be single in its construction, style, and function, its design and use will follow the main residence in highlighting presidential stature.
The East Wing, built in 1902 and expanded in 1942, has housed significant offices, including the First Lady’s. The offices will be moved temporarily during the construction period and then renovated once the ballroom is completed. This aggressive move is part of a larger vision of legacy during Trump’s term so far, which has also included renovations like new flagpoles, gold interior trim, and renovated gardens. Though opinions remain split, the ballroom is a sea change in how the White House embraces diplomacy in the 21st century.