Former U.S. President Donald Trump has defended his decision to demolish part of the White House’s East Wing to construct a new $250 million ballroom, calling the ongoing construction “music to my ears” despite increasing backlash from preservation groups and political opponents.
Speaking to Republican senators at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said, “You probably hear the beautiful sound of construction in the back… When I hear that sound, it reminds me of money.” The 90,000-square-foot ballroom project is intended for hosting state events, official gatherings, and private functions.
The announcement and subsequent demolition work have sparked widespread criticism. The National Trust for Historic Preservation sent a formal letter to White House officials, voicing deep concern that the project could “overwhelm the White House itself” and disrupt its historic design. The group urged Trump to pause the work and conduct a public review process, calling the White House a “national treasure” that deserves protection.
The Society of Architectural Historians also expressed “great concerns” about the massive expansion, warning that it could permanently alter the building’s architectural integrity.
In response, White House officials issued a statement accusing critics of “clutching their pearls over President Donald J. Trump’s visionary addition of a grand, privately funded ballroom,” describing the project as “a bold, necessary enhancement to the nation’s most famous residence.”
Officials also emphasized that the renovation is funded entirely through private donations and will not cost U.S. taxpayers any money.
However, several Democrats have condemned the move, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “The White House isn’t Trump’s house. It’s your house. And he’s destroying it.”
The White House, originally completed in 1800, has undergone several renovations throughout history. Notably, President Harry Truman oversaw a full interior reconstruction in the late 1940s to prevent the structure from collapsing. Yet, experts note that Trump’s ballroom plan represents one of the largest exterior changes in decades.
Former National Capital Planning Commission chair L. Preston Bryant Jr. told the Associated Press that past administrations had always engaged with the commission before initiating major construction. “Early consultation is standard practice,” he said.
Despite calls to halt the project, Trump appears unfazed. “It’s going to be the most beautiful ballroom in the world,” he told reporters. “People will love it, they already do.”
