US President Donald Trump announced last July that he intended to create a ballroom at the White House to host state dinners. Work began on October 20 with the demolition of the east wing of the building. However, he had promised not to touch the building. “We’re making it a little bigger. It will be top quality, as remarkable as anywhere else in the world”he told NBC News last month. The end of the demolition is scheduled for the end of the weekend and, according to the president’s wishes, construction should begin immediately.
In place of the East Wing, an 8,800 m² ballroom that can accommodate 650 people (999 according to Trump) will be built by January 2029, the date of the end of the mandate of the former real estate developer. Initially estimated at 86 million euros, the project quickly climbed to 260 million euros after several revisions and modifications, making it the largest renovation in decades.
Donald Trump explains that the work will be financed by “me and some friends”in addition to individual donors. He added that he didn’t want this to burden the taxpayer. Among the financiers, we find large companies, including Google, which will finance up to 19 million euros following a legal settlement with the president. Companies in the arms sector also support the project, such as Loquet Martin or Palantir. Other people fund on an individual basis, like the founders of Gemini AI or the CEO of Blackstone Group.
Demolition site of the East Wing of the White House.
The new building will adopt a classic style, corresponding to the president’s executive order on federal buildings signed last August; This is verified on the interior plans which reflect the style codes, such as the coffered ceiling and the colonnades. The McCrery Architects firm, specialized in this type of project, is handling the project.
Reactions were strong and rapid, particularly from political opponents like Hillary Clinton. The former first lady expressed her disagreement on the networks, saying: “It’s not his house. It’s your house. And he destroys it. » But what concerns the most is the legal and heritage aspect of the project. The National Trust for Historic Preservation sent a letter to the president expressing concern: “We are deeply concerned that the mass and height of the proposed new construction will overwhelm the White House itself and may also permanently disrupt the carefully balanced classic design of the White House. »
This wing was built in 1902 by Theodore Roosevelt; it was then renovated in 1940 by Franklin D. Roosevelt, in order to hide the presidential bunker but also to install work spaces, including the first lady’s office. It also served as a formal entrance for tours.
Trump had already modified the Oval Office, paved the Rose Garden and planted large flagpoles. But he had never made such significant modifications to the residence, it was the first large-scale architectural project that he implemented. He also aims to build an Arc de Triomphe which he says will be larger than the one in Paris in front of Arlington National Cemetery, a Civil War military cemetery located in the state of Virginia.
The White House, 2017
