President Trump on Friday ripped ABC News reporting that he planned to name the new White House ballroom—which will replace the recently demolished East Wing—after himself.
Hours after ABC News reported the 90,000-square-foot facility would be called “The President Donald J. Trump Ballroom,” the president told reporters, “I don’t have any plan to call it after myself, that was fake news.”
He suggested it would likely be called “the presidential ballroom or something like that,” noting a name has not been finalized.
ABC News also reported that the White House had raised $350 million for the construction, exceeding the latest $300 million price tag. Trump hinted that some of the extra money could be redirected to an arch planned for the entrance of Washington, D.C., near the Lincoln Memorial.
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The East Wing’s history stretches back to the early 1800s, but it was formalized as office space for the first lady and the home of a movie theater under Franklin D. Roosevelt. The space was also the site of the Presidential Emergency Operations Center bunker, famously used during the September 11, 2001, attacks and the 2020 George Floyd protests.
An Ever-Evolving Icon: The Transformative History of White House Remodeling
The White House, with more than two centuries of existence, is marked by a long succession of renovations, expansions, and redecorations, driven by necessity, changing technology, and the distinct tastes of each administration.
The journey of transformation began almost immediately. After the cornerstone was laid in 1792, construction was still incomplete when President John Adams moved in on November 1, 1800. The first major, catastrophic renovation occurred after the War of 1812, when British forces set the mansion ablaze in 1814. The interior was destroyed, leaving only the charred exterior walls. Reconstruction, overseen by original architect James Hoban, allowed President James Monroe to move back in by 1817.
The 19th century saw functional additions, including the South Portico (1824) and the North Portico (1829), which defined the building’s iconic exterior. Over the decades, new systems like plumbing, gas lighting, and electricity were awkwardly integrated, often cutting through load-bearing structures and weakening the overall edifice.
The Age of Wings: Addressing the Growing Presidency
As the administrative duties of the presidency grew, a need for dedicated office space became critical. This led to one of the most significant architectural changes:
- Theodore Roosevelt Renovation (1902): President Roosevelt commissioned a major renovation that cleared the Second Floor of presidential staff offices and established the West Wing to the side of the Executive Residence. This “temporary” structure created the modern separation between the President’s private life and his official duties.
- Expansion of the Executive Office: President William Howard Taft further remodeled the West Wing in 1909, installing the first Oval Office. Later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration oversaw the expansion and permanent relocation of the Oval Office to its current site and the construction of the East Wing in 1942, providing additional staff space and a ceremonial public entrance.
The Great Reconstruction: A Matter of Survival
The most drastic internal overhaul was the Truman Reconstruction (1948–1952). After decades of hurried modifications and neglect, engineers found the White House was structurally unsound and “in imminent danger of collapse.” President Harry S. Truman ordered the interior to be completely dismantled, with only the outer sandstone walls remaining.
A new internal steel frame and modern mechanical systems were installed, essentially gutting and rebuilding the residence from the inside out to ensure its survival.
Modernizing and Personalizing
Since the Truman Reconstruction, presidents and First Ladies have continuously added personal touches and modernized the facilities:
- Jacqueline Kennedy (1962): Led a historic restoration project focused on giving the residence a look of historic authenticity and grace, which included the redesign of the Rose Garden.
- Richard Nixon (1970): Converted the indoor swimming pool built for FDR’s therapy into the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.
- Recent Changes: Later administrations added recreational spaces, like an outdoor swimming pool (Gerald Ford) and a tennis court/basketball court (Barack Obama), and undertook constant room refurbishments to reflect changing tastes or to accommodate new technology.
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The Latest Chapter: A New Ballroom
The history of ambitious construction continues into the current administration. President Donald Trump has initiated one of the largest White House projects in recent memory: the construction of a massive, privately funded State Ballroom capable of holding nearly 1,000 guests.
Construction began this month with the controversial demolition of a significant portion of the historic East Wing—a move that has drawn strong reactions from preservationists and political opponents alike, mainly because it’s Trump’s idea.
The new, nearly 90,000-square-foot ballroom, as the President says, will provide a much-needed venue for state dinners and large official events, replacing the practice of using tents on the South Lawn.
From being burnt down by a foreign army to being gutted by its own government, and from gaining wings to adding recreational courts, the White House has repeatedly proven to be a flexible canvas, its walls—and the functions they enclose—remodeling to serve the needs and aspirations of the American presidency.
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