Trump team to pitch White House ballroom project to oversight body led by one of his aides [View all]

Source: Reuters

January 8, 2026 6:32 AM EST Updated 7 hours ago


WASHINGTON, Jan 8 (Reuters) - The White House will make its case on Thursday for a new $400 million ballroom before a commission that oversees federal building construction in Washington and is led by one of President Donald Trump's aides.

Trump, a Republican who had the East Wing of the White House demolished last year, has championed the 90,000-square-foot project that will replace it. The hearing, which is expected to be livestreamed, will be the first time that plans for the ballroom are presented and discussed in a public setting.

Preservationists and opponents of the plan have criticized the destruction of a part of the White House that housed the offices of the first lady and a movie theater. Trump's aides have said they did not need approval for the demolition but are seeking a green light for the new build.

A federal judge, while hearing a lawsuit alleging the project abuses presidential power, said last month he was not inclined to order the administration to immediately halt the work. In December, the White House submitted a formal application to the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts for the ballroom.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/trump-team-pitch-white-house-ballroom-project-oversight-body-led-by-one-his-2026-01-08/