Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lashed out at President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday, criticizing his plan to add a grand ballroom to the White House’s East Wing, calling it an act of destruction against what she described as “the people’s house.”
“It’s not his house. It’s your house. And he’s destroying it,” Clinton wrote on X, in response to construction that began this week.
The Trump administration announced in July that it would create a new ballroom for state dinners, official ceremonies, and visiting heads of state. The White House said the project will now cost about $250 million, up from earlier estimates of $200 million, and is being financed entirely by private donors.
In a Truth Social post on Monday, the president framed the construction as a long-overdue enhancement to the historic residence — one that generations of presidents had desired but never achieved. “Completely separate from the White House itself, the East Wing is being fully modernized as part of this process, and will be more beautiful than ever when it is complete!” Trump wrote. “For more than 150 years, every President has dreamt about having a Ballroom at the White House to accommodate people for grand parties, State Visits, etc. I am honored to be the first President to finally get this much-needed project underway — with zero cost to the American Taxpayer!”
According to the administration, the 90,000-square-foot ballroom will seat up to 650 guests and feature bulletproof glass. Construction is being carried out by Clark Construction, with designs provided by McCrery Architects.
Trump, known for his flair for aesthetics and large-scale development projects, has long championed renovations to American landmarks. He reportedly offered to fund a similar ballroom project during the Obama administration, though the proposal was never accepted.
White House officials have described the undertaking as a modernization effort, saying it will enhance the administration’s ability to host state functions with greater security and dignity. The East Wing, home to the First Lady’s offices, will also receive structural upgrades as part of the project.
Architect Jim McCrery, CEO of McCrery Architects, said the goal is to preserve the White House’s classical beauty while improving its functionality. “Presidents in the modern era have faced challenges hosting major events at the White House because it has been untouched since President Harry Truman,” McCrery said in a statement. “I am honored that President Trump has entrusted me to help bring this beautiful and necessary renovation to The People’s House, while preserving the elegance of its classical design and historical importance.”
Still, critics accused Trump of using private funding to curry favor with wealthy donors. Richard W. Painter, former chief ethics lawyer in the George W. Bush administration, told The New York Times that such donations could raise concerns. “People who want to be in good with the president are going to write checks,” he said, warning it was “a whole extension of the pay-to-play problem that we’ve had in government for years.”
Despite the criticism, Trump’s supporters argue that the ballroom project — financed without taxpayer money — is emblematic of his administration’s approach to restoring American prestige and modernizing government institutions without burdening the public purse.
For Trump, who built his career on real estate and design, the ballroom represents more than an architectural addition. It is a symbol of what he calls “American excellence” — an effort to renew the grandeur of the presidency while, as he put it, “making The People’s House more magnificent than ever before.”
[READ MORE: Trump Blasts Virginia Attorney General Candidate Jay Jones as “An Animal” Over Violent Texts]
About Post Author
