Trump Hosts Donors to Lavish Dinner at New $250M White House Ballroom/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ morning Edition/ President Trump held a luxurious White House dinner for wealthy donors supporting a new $250M ballroom. Top business figures and political allies attended the exclusive event featuring gourmet dining and bold architecture plans. Trump also revealed a new patriotic arch project for the Arlington Memorial Bridge.
Trump White House Ballroom Plans + Quick Looks
- Trump welcomed 130 high-profile donors for an elite White House dinner.
- Event celebrated fundraising progress for a $250 million White House ballroom.
- Ballroom will feature bulletproof glass and accommodate nearly 1,000 guests.
- Representatives from tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Google attended.
- Trump also announced a new monument project near Arlington Memorial Bridge.
- The ballroom still awaits formal construction approval from key commissions.
- Trump claims presidential authority exempts the project from zoning rules.
Trump Hosts Donors to Lavish Dinner at New $250M White House Ballroom
Deep Look
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump hosted nearly 130 of the nation’s wealthiest donors and executives Wednesday evening at an opulent White House dinner, offering thanks for their financial backing of his ambitious new project — a $250 million, state-of-the-art White House ballroom.
This high-profile event marked a rare glimpse into Trump’s continuing efforts to reshape the presidential residence during his second term. The gala dinner, held in a temporary luxury venue within the White House, served as both a celebration of progress and a symbolic unveiling of the grand ballroom project, which Trump described as “phenomenal” and “unlike anything seen before.”
A Grand Vision for the White House
Trump’s proposed ballroom will reportedly span 90,000 square feet and be constructed in the space currently occupied by the East Wing. Designed to mirror the classical architecture of the White House, the structure will include four walls of bulletproof glass while retaining traditional molding and window shapes to maintain historical consistency.
According to Trump, the space will be capable of hosting events as large as presidential inaugurations, with room for up to 999 guests. “There’s nothing like the White House,” he told attendees. “We have to take care of it.”
The ballroom is the most significant structural renovation initiated under Trump’s second term, a continuation of his legacy as a former real estate mogul applying bold architectural ideas to government buildings.
Glamour, Gourmet, and Power Players
Guests dined under candlelight at round tables adorned with white floral centerpieces and gold-trimmed plates. The dinner menu reflected the grandeur of the evening: heirloom tomato panzanella salad, beef Wellington, and a decadent dessert of roasted Anjou pears with cinnamon crumble and butterscotch ice cream.
Notably, the room was filled with representatives from some of the most powerful corporations in the country. Companies with a presence at the dinner included Amazon, Apple, Booz Allen Hamilton, Coinbase, Comcast, Google, Lockheed Martin, Meta Platforms, and T-Mobile.
Philanthropic and political heavyweights also made appearances. The Adelson Family Foundation, a major GOP donor group, was represented. Billionaires such as oil magnate Harold Hamm, Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, and crypto investors Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss were present, as well as government figures like SBA head Kelly Loeffler and her husband Jeff Sprecher.
Political strategists from Trump’s past and present administrations, including Chris LaCivita, Reince Priebus, and Jason Miller, rounded out the guest list.
Questions Around Oversight and Approval
Despite the enthusiasm, the ballroom project has not yet cleared regulatory hurdles. The National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts — which oversee federal construction projects — have not granted approval.
However, Will Scharf, the White House staff secretary and Trump’s appointee to oversee planning, claimed these approvals are not necessary. Trump echoed this sentiment, stating,
“There are no zoning requirements for the president of the United States,” and insisted he could move forward without external authorization.
The motivation for such a large space comes from Trump’s frequent frustrations with needing tents for large South Lawn events. Currently, the East Room — the White House’s largest indoor space — can only hold about 200 people.
A New Monument on the Horizon
In addition to the ballroom, Trump used the evening to debut a second project — a proposed arch monument to be built at one end of the Arlington Memorial Bridge, which connects Virginia to Washington, D.C.
Miniature models of the arch were displayed at the event, with three size variations. The largest model, featuring a Lady Liberty statue atop the structure, was reportedly Trump’s favorite. “It’s going to be really beautiful,” he said.
What’s Next?
While the ballroom project continues to generate buzz and financial support, its future hinges on whether federal oversight agencies allow it to move forward unimpeded. With Trump’s assertion of presidential authority and his circle of wealthy backers, the project is emblematic of his approach to legacy-building through architecture and influence.
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