The U.S. Commission on Fine Arts has moved quickly to approve a significant proposal, estimated at around $400 million, for a new White House East Wing Ballroom. This decision was made during a session that was originally meant for design discussions, but Chairman Rodney Mims Cook Jr. called for immediate final approval instead.
“Our current president has created a really beautiful design,” Cook remarked before the vote. “America shouldn’t host the world in a tent.” The project will replace the former East Wing, which was demolished last October.
During the meeting, six out of seven committee members expressed their support for the initiative, though Commissioner James McCreary chose to abstain from voting.
“This matters to the president. And it matters to the nation,” Cook said earlier in the month during the commission’s first review of Trump’s proposal.
The Trump administration has long voiced frustrations about having to hold major events in temporary structures. Previously, the East Wing dining room could accommodate only 200 guests. This new ballroom plans to increase seating capacity significantly, more than tripling the number and nearly doubling the space of the main White House building.
Despite facing opposition from some Democrats, President Trump has asserted that the funding will consist of private donations, emphasizing that the impact of the new ballroom will be substantial. A federal lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation seeks to block the construction.
“It’s ridiculous that we’re being sued for offering a $400 million ballroom. For 150 years, this has been sought after,” Trump commented in December. “We’re contributing at no expense to them, giving away $400 million in value.” He added, “I think I can do it for less than $400 million, but if I go even slightly over, the media will say it cost more.”
Even though the project has received approval, it still requires further examination by the National Capital Planning Commission, which is slated to convene on March 5.
