Overview

• Trump announced a massive White House ballroom estimated at €200 million and said he would pay for it himself if necessary, a project described as the most ambitious at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue since the Truman-era overhaul.
• He positions himself as a hands-on builder overseeing details from Kennedy Center columns to street paving and park renovations, boasting of expertise that extends to turf care on the strength of his golf properties.
• The White House has already shifted toward a Mar-a-Lago style, with the Rose Garden converted into a tiled patio with matching furniture and the Oval Office refitted with heavy gilding, alongside two oversized American flags on the grounds.
• State power and imagery have been central to the effort, with National Guard deployments in Washington and cabinet moves including Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy asserting control of Union Station and the Labor Department mounting a giant presidential photograph.
• Reaction is sharply divided, with critics invoking a "chic dictator" aesthetic and supporters offering polite praise, while the White House Historical Association notes that major past renovations drew early criticism before becoming part of the building's fabric.