Donald Trump unveiled progress on his grand new ballroom Wednesday night during a glitzy White House dinner with companies and millionaires helping to fund the project.
The President in July revealed his ambitious plan to build a new $250million ballroom in the White House, inviting donors to step up to help finance his vision.
To celebrate the start of construction, Trump hosted a dinner for more than 30 representatives from Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta Platforms and Palantir Technologies.
Wealthy individuals were also invited, including oil billionaire Harold Hamm, Blackstone chief executive Steve Schwarzman, and Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Trump kicked off the evening with a speech celebrating the return of hostages following the Israel-Hamas peace deal he brokered.
He then turned his attention to the ballroom, which he considers an important part of his presidential legacy as he seeks to renovate the White House and Washington, DC.
'We're here to celebrate you, because you have given a tremendous amount of money to see a ballroom built,' he told the cheering crowd.
'In between China, Russia, everything else that we deal with, it's going to be a great ballroom... It is starting right behind us.'
Donald Trump displayed designs of some of his planned renovations, including a white arch he intends to build across from Arlington National Cemetery, at a White House dinner last night
The White House released visuals of the new ballroom back in July. The current East Wing of the White House will be 'modernized' and 90,000 square feet of new space
Trump opened the gold curtains behind him to unveil the construction site.
'It will be demolished,' he said. 'Everything out there is coming down and it will be replaced by the most beautiful ballroom.'
He also displayed small replica designs of some of his planned renovations, including a white arch he intends to build across from Arlington National Cemetery.
The ballroom is expected to have a capacity of 999 people, Trump said on Wednesday, and will be fitted with bulletproof glass.
'There won't be anything like it,' he said. 'Because of you, they're going to get it. And me too. So many of you have been really, really generous.'
Trump shared an anecdote of one of the donors in the room asking him 'sir, will $25 million be appropriate?'
'I'll take it. It doesn't take too many 25s [million dollars] to get it done.'
He said the donors had been so generous that he had 'money left over' which could be put toward the arch he wants to build opposite Arlington National Cemetery.
Trump has unveiled progress on his grand new ballroom during the glitzy White House dinner with companies and millionaires helping to fund the project
He offered donors a glimpse at replicas of future projects he has in the works
Trump's lavish dinner has sparked some concern. Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law faculty director Claire Finkelstein warned businesses could feel pressured into donating to the President's vision out of fear of his wrath.
'Every company that is invited to that dinner that either doesn't show or doesn't give knows now they will be out of favor with the Trump administration,' she said.
Democratic National Convention Communications Director Rosemary Boeglin accused Trump of using the dinner to trade 'cash for access.'
'This administration's slogan should be ''Let them eat cake.'' Trump is busy wining and dining with his rich friends and wealthy donors while failing to make a deal to end the government shutdown,' she said.
'Instead of trading cash for access, Trump and his Republican loyalists in Congress should be getting back to work to reopen the government and avoid a health care crisis that would force millions of Americans to pay even more for health care or lose coverage completely.
'Trump's betrayal of Americans is brazen: When it comes to bailing out Argentina or building a ballroom, Trump is happy to spend — but when it comes to helping families and farmers, Trump couldn't care less.'
The White House ballroom's designs are similar to those found at President Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate and his former hotel in Washington, DC
The invitation for the event stated it was planned to 'establish the magnificent White House Ballroom.'
Trump said in past years, administrations hosting important international politicians and figures would erect a tent on the lawn to celebrate, but now they would have a dedicated space to host functions.
Since taking office, Trump has redecorated the Rose Garden, Oval Office and Palm Room.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced in July that construction would begin in September on a 90,000 square foot addition to the East Wing for Trump's ballroom.
'It'll be a great legacy project and I think it'll be special,' Trump said at the time.
