Special commission approves President Trump’s plan for new White House ballroom
President Donald Trump’s vision of an estimated $400 million ballroom on the White House grounds to provide a massive venue for huge events, state dinners and more, is one step closer to reality.
It is the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts that has approved the plan.
A report at the Washington Examiner noted that, “The commission is comprised of Trump appointees, including Chamberlain Harris, a longtime executive assistant. Every member of the commission approved the proposal except for one abstention.”
IT’S OFFICIAL: President Trump is full steam ahead on his ball room and there’s NOTHING liberals can do to stop it
“Will be the Greatest Ballroom ever built, now rising at the site of the White House — Fully paid for by American Patriot Donors. ZERO cost to our United States… pic.twitter.com/Y4ovBiWJLD
— RightLine (@RightLineNews) February 18, 2026
BREAKING: President Trump just now posted a photo showing off to the “Greatest Ballroom ever built. Fully paid for by American Patriot Donors” pic.twitter.com/HaKTy42lwx
— Officer Lew (@officer_Lew) February 18, 2026
Democrats, who were silent when other presidents, including Barack Obama, made physical changes to the White House complex, have insisted that Trump’s plan to recruit private donors for the costs of the new project, and the project itself, is unacceptable.
Extremists in the party even have demanded that party candidates for office pledge to destroy the ballroom if they are elected.
“The White House commends the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts’ decision to unanimously approve President Trump’s historic vision to build a much-needed ballroom at the White House. We look forward to seeing the completion of this project on time and under budget,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said.
Trump posted on Truth Social: “The Commission of Fine Arts just approved, unanimously, 6 to 0, with one recusal because he had a conflict in that he worked professionally on the job, the White House Ballroom. Great accolades were paid to the building’s beauty and scale. Thank you to the members of the Commission! President DJT.”
The project also is expected to be reviewed by the National Capital Planning Commission.
Also pending review is Trump’s plans for an “Independence Arch” monument in Washington.
Construction, the White House has confirmed, could begin as early as April.
Trump has explained the ballroom will be funded by donations and will be a “needed space” for high-profile events.
“The president previously offered to build the ballroom for the Obama administration, according to strategist David Axelrod, who advised former President Barack Obama. The proposal was not taken up by the White House at the time,” the Examiner reported.
Trump has said, “This is a GIFT (ZERO taxpayer funding!) to the United States of America. So that the White House would no longer be forced to use a cheap and unsafe ‘tent,’ for big and important STATE EVENTS, Dinners, Meetings, Conferences, and already scheduled future INAUGURATIONS (for safety, security, and capacity purposes!), on a very wet, and subject to weather, White House lawn.”
Leftists such as Rep. Robert Garcia, a California Democrat, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, have suggested the “ballroom’s funding structure may have been designed to evade judicial review. Such findings could indicate corruption, the lawmakers alleged in a letter to National Park Service Comptroller Jessica Bowron,” the report said.