United States President Donald Trump has begun construction of a $300m ballroom on the site of what was the White House’s East Wing.The construction, which began on Monday, is the first major structural change to the complex since 1948. It involves tearing down the existing East Wing, which had housed the first lady’s offices and was used for ceremonies.The work is being funded via private donations from individuals, corporations and tech companies, including Google and Amazon, raising uncomfortable questions about the level of access this might give donors to the most powerful man in the country.A pledge form seen by CBS News indicated that donors may qualify for “recognition” of their contributions. Further details of this have not emerged, however.How much will the new ballroom cost?The estimated cost of building Trump’s ornate, 8,360sq-metre (90,0000sq-ft) ballroom, which he says will accommodate 999 people, has varied since plans were announced earlier this year.In a statement made in August, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated the cost would be about $200m. However, this week, Trump raised that to $300m.Construction began during a US government shutdown and, therefore, without the approval of the National Capital Planning Commission, the federal agency responsible for overseeing these operations, which is closed. US President Donald Trump holds up a rendering of the planned ballroom in the Oval Office of the White House on October 22, 2025 [Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images]Who is funding the ballroom?On Monday, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “For more than 150 years, every President has dreamt about having a Ballroom at …
