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21h ago

White House Unveils Ballroom Plans, Floats West Wing Colonnade Addition

The first public briefing detailed a privately funded 1,000-seat venue, with an NCPC vote expected in early March.

Work continues on the construction of the ballroom at the White House where the East Wing once stood, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Construction workers watch as work continues on a largely demolished part of the East Wing of the White House in October 2025 in Washington, DC.
Work continues on the construction of the ballroom at the White House where the East Wing once stood, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The demolition of the East Wing of the White House, the location of U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed ballroom is seen from an elevated position on the North side of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 23, 2025. REUTERS/ Andrew Leyden/File Photo

Overview

  • Plans detail a 22,000-square-foot, 1,000-seat ballroom with roughly 40-foot ceilings within an approximately 89,000-square-foot, two-level East Wing that matches the main mansion’s height.
  • A two-story East Colonnade would link the East Room to the ballroom, and officials outlined operational upgrades including a commercial-grade kitchen, improved delivery access and a new guest screening entrance.
  • To balance the taller East Colonnade, the White House is weighing a modest one-story addition to the West Wing colonnade to restore visual symmetry.
  • The project is estimated at about $400 million, and the administration says construction will be financed by private donors.
  • After the East Wing’s 2025 demolition, preservationists sued to halt or review the project; a judge declined to pause work, and Thursday’s NCPC briefing sets up a fuller submission next month and an early-March vote as some commissioners question the scale.