President Donald Trump celebrated the White House construction site as crews transformed the demolition pit into a maze of steel beams and concrete.
The 80-year-old views the overhaul of America’s most iconic residence as the fulfillment of a long-held vision. His changes could outlast the gold decor future administrations may remove from the Oval Office.
Critics, however, are mourning the loss of the East Wing and the massive complex replacing it.
Trump marveled at the Ballroom construction site. Meanwhile, critics are lamenting the loss of the East Wing and the massive structure that will replace it.
He ordered crews to bulldoze the East Wing in October 2025 to make way for his State Ballroom project. Since then, the project’s scope has expanded, and its price tag has climbed.
The new complex will include a military facility with a bunker, an underground emergency center, a medical center, and other upgrades.
Current estimates put the price between $400 million and $600 million. Funding is expected to come from a mix of taxpayer dollars and private donations, though the final breakdown remains unclear.
The POTUS shared a project update on Truth Social, posting a photo and a lengthy caption.
The image showed exposed steel, unfinished hallways and rooms, bare floors, dirt-covered ground, construction materials, and heavy machinery.
“The very complex and expensive structure, being built for the United States Military, at the East Wing of the White House,” the president. “This picture does not yet include the DronePort, where the steel, which is already fabricated and ready to go, will be delivered, imminently.”
“The project is on cost, and substantially ahead of schedule,” Trump claimed.
Moreover, Trump again claimed the ballroom is “something that former Presidents have wanted for 150 years, which sits directly under the elevated DronePort.” He said it was being paid for by “Great American Patriots — No Taxpayer Money!”
The observations left social media users fuming.
An IG Threads user admitted, “I actually had to stare at this for longer than I’m comfortable admitting to figure out what I was even looking at.”
A Trump defender snapped, writing, “It’s called Construction. All logical upgrades. Wake up.”
Someone else zoomed in on a massive wall-like structure. “Wtf is this? A scoreboard for all Future Super Bowl games?” they wondered.
Trump floated the idea weeks after hosting UFC 250 fight on the South Lawn, complete with “The Claw” octagon. The event doubled as his 80th birthday celebration on June 14 and a celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
A response states, “What a disaster zone! We know that Republicans would be in full blown apoplectic convulsions, if Biden had torn down the East Wing to build a Ballroom twice the size of the White House!”
View on Threads
MAGA supporters scoffed at the backlash, as one said, “Another one who would rather see us greet dignitaries in a rental tent.”
The complex will be 90,000 square feet; the White House is only 55,000 square feet.
A stunned viewer exclaimed, “I thought a judge had stopped construction on the Ballroom????”
Similarly, another comment read, “WHOA WHOA WHOA! How is he building this monstrosity when he doesn’t have Congress’ approval? I thought this was a dead project.”
Last year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation sued the Trump administration after it demolished the East Wing and began building Trump’s ballroom project without Congress’ approval.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon issued a decision in April allowing work on the bunker to continue but halting above-ground construction. The president’s recent update appears to conflict with Leon’s order halting above-ground construction.
A final decision is pending a three-judge ruling.
