Donald Trump delivered an update on the cost of building his much-hyped White House ballroom on Tuesday.
The venue, which the president controversially razed the East Wing to make way for, will now cost $400 million, he revealed during his speech at a White House Hanukkah reception.
Previously, Trump had talked about the construction project price being $250 million, and then $300 million.
“We’re donating a $400 million ballroom,” Trump said, adding another $100 million to the cost.
He continued:
“Myself and donors are giving them, free of charge, for nothing, we’re donating a building that’s approximately 400 millions, I think I’ll do it for less, but it’s 400. I should do it for less. I will do it for less. But just in case, I say 400. Otherwise if I go $3 over, the press will say, ‘It cost more.’ I build under budget and ahead of schedule … always. I know how to build under budget. I build good.”
“It’ll be the most beautiful ballroom,” Trump added. “And it’ll handle inaugurations. It’s got 5-inch-thick glass windows. It’s impenetrable by anything but a howitzer. It’s impenetrable. But I will say, if I’m up making a speech one day and I hear, ‘Ding, ding, ding,’ I’m out of there.”
Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and T-Mobile have all pledged money for the project. See the full list of donors here. Critics, however, have asked who will finance the maintenance of the venue once it is finished, which is due to be in the summer of 2028.
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