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Eugene

(66,809 posts) Fri Dec 19, 2025, 10:12 AM Dec 19

Trump Says White House Ballroom Will Now Cost $400 Million as Judge Allows Construction to Move Forward

Source: People

Trump Says White House Ballroom Will Now Cost $400 Million as Judge Allows Construction to Move Forward

The addition, which is privately funded, was originally estimated by White House officials to cost $200 million

By Dave Quinn Published on December 17, 2025 10:59AM EST

• Donald Trump announced the White House ballroom's cost has risen to $400 million, up from earlier estimates
• A federal judge allowed construction to continue despite a lawsuit from preservationists challenging the project’s legality
• The privately funded 90,000-square-foot ballroom is expected to be completed by summer 2028

Donald Trump says the sprawling White House ballroom he is building on the grounds of the executive mansion will now cost $400 million — a significant jump from earlier estimates.

The president, 79, announced the updated price tag during a Hanukkah reception at the White House on the evening of Tuesday, Dec. 17, where he also revealed that a federal judge has allowed construction on the controversial project to move forward. He repeated the figure multiple times while thanking the official for clearing the way for continued work, describing the ruling as an act of “courage.”

"We’re donating a $400 million ballroom," Trump said at the event, according to footage shared by CSPAN. "Myself and donors are giving them, free of charge, for nothing."

-snip-

Read more: https://people.com/trump-says-white-house-ballroom-will-now-cost-400-million-11870965

________________________________________________

Follow the money, folks. Don't be surprised if most of it gets diverted into graft.

It should also be noted that these "voluntary" donors have some $300 billion in government contracts.

9 replies

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Trump Says White House Ballroom Will Now Cost $400 Million as Judge Allows Construction to Move Forward (Original Post) Eugene Dec 19 OP

Price will be double that. Irish_Dem Dec 19 #1

Triple that durablend Dec 19 #4

I agree, I was trying to low ball the increase. Because the real number will be absurd and evil. Irish_Dem Dec 19 #8

Democratic Presidential hopefuls...... Red Mountain Dec 19 #2

Rename it after Biden, in gold Johonny Dec 19 #5

And these assholes kwolf68 Dec 19 #3

He's trying to pocket donations and get taxpayers JCMach1 Dec 19 #6

Winner winner, chicken dinner! MustLoveBeagles Dec 19 #7

Maddowblog-The cost of Trump's White House ballroom has doubled over the past five months LetMyPeopleVote Dec 19 #9

Irish_Dem

(79,922 posts)

1. Price will be double that.

Reply to Eugene (Original post)

Fri Dec 19, 2025, 10:15 AM

Dec 19

durablend

(8,899 posts)

4. Triple that

Reply to Irish_Dem (Reply #1)

Fri Dec 19, 2025, 10:24 AM

Dec 19

"BIGLIEST MOST BEAUTIFUL BALLROOM YOU'VE EVER SEEN!!!!"

Irish_Dem

(79,922 posts)

8. I agree, I was trying to low ball the increase. Because the real number will be absurd and evil.

Reply to durablend (Reply #4)

Fri Dec 19, 2025, 11:51 AM

Dec 19

Red Mountain

(2,267 posts)

2. Democratic Presidential hopefuls......

Reply to Eugene (Original post)

Fri Dec 19, 2025, 10:23 AM

Dec 19

should be shopping the plans around to find out how much it will cost to demolish.

Make the number public and crowdsource the funds when elected.

Johonny

(25,507 posts)

5. Rename it after Biden, in gold

Reply to Red Mountain (Reply #2)

Fri Dec 19, 2025, 10:36 AM

Dec 19

kwolf68

(8,262 posts)

3. And these assholes

Reply to Eugene (Original post)

Fri Dec 19, 2025, 10:23 AM

Dec 19

Complained about Bill Cinton's haircut. What a colossal waste of money from the "frugal" Republic Party.

JCMach1

(29,094 posts)

6. He's trying to pocket donations and get taxpayers

Reply to Eugene (Original post)

Fri Dec 19, 2025, 10:51 AM

Dec 19

To pay for it isnt he...

MustLoveBeagles

(14,805 posts)

7. Winner winner, chicken dinner!

Reply to JCMach1 (Reply #6)

Fri Dec 19, 2025, 10:56 AM

Dec 19

LetMyPeopleVote

(175,080 posts)

9. Maddowblog-The cost of Trump's White House ballroom has doubled over the past five months

Reply to Eugene (Original post)

Fri Dec 19, 2025, 06:08 PM

Dec 19

In late July, the White House said the president’s vanity project would cost $200 million. Now, it’s $400 million.

The cost of Trumpâ€™s White House ballroom has doubled over the past five months ðŸ’µ ðŸ’µ ðŸ’µ ðŸ’µ ðŸ’µ ðŸ’µðŸ’µ

In late July, the White House said the presidentâ€™s vanity project would cost 0 million. Now, itâ€™s 0 million.

bit.ly/45fHpax
— lisettebrodey (@lisettebrodey.bsky.social) 2025-12-17T19:57:22.603Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/the-cost-of-trumps-white-house-ballroom-has-doubled-over-the-last-five-months

In late July, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt enthusiastically delivered the announcement “that the construction of the new White House ballroom will begin,” she told reporters, and that Donald Trump and other donors “have generously committed to donating the funds necessary to build this approximately $200 million structure.”

By October, the price tag had grown to $250 million. Soon after, it was $300 million. As of Tuesday night, it’s $400 million.

Trump now says his ballroom will cost 0 million (it was supposed to cost 0 million less than two months ago)
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-12-17T02:31:58.080Z

In other words, the cost has doubled over the course of five months. The president acknowledged the new figure at a White House event where he boasted, “I build under budget,” seemingly indifferent to the irony.

The revised total comes on the heels of the Republican bringing in a new architect as his ambitions grew. (The New York Times reported a few weeks ago: “What started as a 500-seat ballroom connected to the East Wing grew to 650 seats. Next, [the president] wanted a 999-seat ballroom, then room for 1,350.” This week, Trump said he wants the ballroom to be large enough to host an inauguration.)......

As for the state of the endeavor, the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a federal lawsuit in the hopes of blocking construction. The White House has pushed back, arguing, among other things, that delays might adversely affect national security.

For now, a federal judge is allowing the project to move forward.

Watch this space.

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