During a recent meeting with top oil executives, President Donald Trump abruptly rose and went to the window to look at the ongoing work in the White House ballroom, leaving his guests momentarily speechless.
“Hold on, I need to look at my beautiful ballroom,” he said. His 30‑plus guests, including executives from Exxon and Chevron, stayed seated as Trump admired the view for about 20 seconds.
Trump laughed a little and told the room the current White House meeting spaces were too small. He said Friday’s gathering would have held “over 1,000 people” if it had been in the new ballroom. “Come to think of it — wow. I gotta look at this myself,” he added before heading to the window.
🚨 Trump suddenly interrupted a meeting with oil executives
“Hold on, I need to look at my beautiful ballroom” — then got up and walked to the door.
“Wow. What a view! This is the door to the ballroom!” pic.twitter.com/5VzlvTIy02
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) January 10, 2026
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The ballroom is one of the most talked‑about projects at the White House. It will be about 90,000 square feet, much larger than the old East Wing that was recently torn down. Workers demolished the historic East Wing in late October 2025. It had been used as offices and a theater for decades.
Trump says the project will be funded by private donations, not taxpayers. Wealthy donors and big tech companies have been listed as contributors. Still, recent polls show most Americans oppose tearing down part of the White House for this expansion.
The cost of the ballroom has grown from the original $200 million estimate to about $400 million. The higher price reflects design changes and the speed of demolition and rebuilding. Officials also said the old East Wing had serious structural problems, including water leaks and mold. They argued it was safer and cheaper to rebuild than repair.
Construction is focused on clearing the site and preparing the ground. Above‑ground building is not expected to start until April 2026. Plans are under review by the National Capital Planning Commission, which approves major federal projects.
Trump returned to the meeting and continued talking about the ballroom. He said it would be like nothing else in the world. “The ballroom will seat many,” he said. It will also have bulletproof glass and other modern security features. He added it could host major events, including presidential inaugurations.
Featured image via X screengrab
