Overview
- Crews fully razed the East Wing to clear space for a roughly 90,000-square-foot ballroom that the White House now pegs at about $300 million and says will be paid by private donors, including the president.
- The administration released a contributor list featuring major tech and defense firms such as Amazon, Apple, Alphabet/Google, Meta, Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, Palantir and Coinbase.
- Rep. Bennie G. Thompson sent letters to more than 20 corporate donors seeking the amounts given, any promised benefits and disclosure of federal contracts, with responses due November 7.
- Preservationists and some lawmakers say required reviews under the National Historic Preservation Act and normal commission processes were bypassed, while the White House cites long-standing presidential renovations and the need for a large event space.
- Trump denied plans to name the venue after himself following reports of internal references to “The President Donald J. Trump Ballroom,” and officials describe a multi-year build with design filings to follow demolition.