Donald Trump wanted to make history his way. He dreamed of a grand ballroom for a thousand guests, worthy of the most spectacular receptions at the Élysée Palace or Versailles… However, the 47th president’s golden dream is now hitting a wall of sorts. A federal judge has just ordered an immediate halt to the work, as the partial demolition of the south wing of the White House began several weeks ago and the budget, initially estimated at $200 million, has now literally doubled. Donald Trump, who envisioned himself hosting sumptuous dinners for heads of state and celebrities, must now bide his time. This forced pause reminds a simple truth against which Melania Trump’s husband collided: The White House is not a personal playground like Trump Tower. A fact on which the fiery president recently stumbled.
Last October, he had indeed shared on his Truth Social network numerous photos of the fully renovated Lincoln bathroom. The Art Deco style and green tiling apparently did not please the businessman, who had white marble installed on the walls and floors, as well as gold fixtures and a chandelier added to the ceiling, as reported by Le Point. “This works perfectly for the time of Abraham Lincoln and could even match the original marble,” he rejoiced, specifying that he wanted a style “in line with the 1850s and the Civil War period”. A statement that left Edward Lengel, former chief historian of the White House Historical Association, gasping, telling the New York Times that the photos “bear no resemblance to an interior from the 1860s.” Surprising.
Donald Trump is not the owner of the White House
In his ruling, Judge Richard Leon was clear: the president is the guardian of the White House, but not the owner. Any transformation project must therefore imperatively go through the United States Congress and adhere to the rules of historical preservation. The construction work, which had begun with great fanfare, is now at a standstill. It is worth noting that this is the second time the project has hit a snag.
In December 2025, Paris Match revealed that the architect in charge of building the ballroom, James McCrery II, had been fired by Barron’s father. The reason for this dismissal? Rumor has it that Donald Trump wanted the annex to be larger than the main house: 8,500 m2 compared to 5,110 m2. An idea that upset the traditionalist architect, who believed that an annex should not overshadow the main building, especially when it comes to the historic residence of American presidents…
White House: Luxury Without Peace and Pleasure
The ballroom excites the president: but it is also a source of controversy. Heritage defenders and many architects point out controversial and highly contested choices: unnecessary stairs, fake windows, oversized roof. Architecture and American monument specialists interviewed by the New York Times on March 29, also highlight that the huge ballroom will ruin the symmetry of the White House, as a whole wing has already been demolished.
Unsurprisingly, the Trump camp responded to the attacks through White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, who was scathing in comments reported by the Daily Beast: “The New York Times asked three randomly chosen people, who have “studied fine arts”, “written extensively about urban planning” and have never built anything, to write an article criticizing the new White House ballroom,” the communicator chastised on Sunday: “President Trump and his chief architect have built world-renowned buildings around the globe, ensuring that the People’s House (the White House) finally has the magnificent ballroom it has needed for decades.”
During a mini press conference, Donald Trump also announced that his ballroom has a military purpose as well. “Currently, the military is building a large complex underneath,” he revealed, everything is going very well, we are even ahead of schedule. He added: “The ballroom actually serves as a shelter for everything being built below by the military, including protection from drones or other things.” Not sure if this information will help calm the situation…
