Trump Plans Massive Washington Makeover Including $400M White House Ballroom

President Trump is pursuing an extensive transformation of Washington D.C., including a controversial $400 million White House ballroom and a 250-foot Independence Arch. The ambitious redesign projects have sparked criticism from Americans worried about costs and historic preservation.

President Donald Trump is launching an extensive transformation of the nation’s capital, featuring plans for a massive $400 million White House ballroom, a towering 250-foot arch, and major Kennedy Center renovations.

These wide-ranging redesign initiatives would represent the most significant changes by any U.S. president since Theodore Roosevelt spearheaded major National Mall modifications in the early 1900s. During the 1950s, Harry Truman completely renovated the White House interior.

The following outlines Trump’s major renovation projects, which have sparked intense criticism from citizens focused on economic concerns and the protection of historical sites.

WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM

Trump has described his proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom as “the Greatest of its kind ever built,” designed to match the current White House in both height and proportions. With a projected cost of $400 million, he plans to secure funding through private donors and corporate sponsors.

However, the president’s excitement for this project, designed to accommodate 1,000 guests, has not gained widespread public support. He has encountered significant opposition after tearing down the East Wing to create space for the new structure, breaking previous promises to preserve it.

An October Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos survey revealed that 56% of Americans oppose the ballroom project, while only 28% express support.

Historic preservation advocates and project critics have condemned the East Wing’s destruction — which previously contained the first lady’s offices and the White House movie theater — and expressed worry that the new structure could dwarf the main residence.

Construction activities generate constant noise between the White House and Treasury Department, creating disruptions expected to persist throughout Trump’s remaining three years in office.

The National Capital Planning Commission, led by a senior White House official, is set to receive public input on the project and may vote on its approval Thursday.

KENNEDY CENTER

Congress originally established the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to commemorate the Democratic president killed in 1963. The name remained unchanged for decades until a Trump-selected board voted to rebrand it as the Trump-Kennedy Center last year.

The renowned cultural venue experienced numerous show cancellations and declining ticket sales following Trump’s takeover.

Trump announced February 1 that the facility will shut down for two years starting July 4 for extensive renovations. Trump maintains the building requires major updates, pointing to plumbing issues and deteriorating stonework.

He has stated he won’t demolish the Kennedy Center but will renovate it instead, though critics remember similar assurances about the East Wing before its demolition. He projects renovation costs at $200 million.

INDEPENDENCE ARCH

On the opposite side of the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial sits an ordinary highway traffic circle where Trump envisions constructing the Independence Arch — a monument similar to Paris’s Arc de Triomphe but significantly larger.

The proposed arch, topped with eagle sculptures and a Statue of Liberty-style figure, would reach approximately 250 feet in height. This exceeds the Lincoln Memorial’s height and approaches the 288-foot U.S. Capitol, visible throughout much of Washington.

For comparison, Paris’s Arc de Triomphe stands 164 feet tall.

Trump explained to reporters January 31 that he wanted a large arch because “we’re the biggest, most powerful nation.”

The arch’s actual 250-foot height remains uncertain, as aviation officials worry it might disrupt flight patterns for aircraft approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport several miles away.

THE OVAL OFFICE

Trump began his primary White House redecoration effort when he returned to the Oval Office in January 2025.

He redesigned the historic room with golden accents and figurines, portraits of notable Americans retrieved from storage — including some difficult to identify — and a Declaration of Independence copy displayed behind black fabric on the wall.

Sculptures of Abraham Lincoln and Benjamin Franklin now sit on tables beside his desk. The abundance of decorative items creates a crowded, library-like atmosphere compared to previous presidential styles, though Trump enjoys the design and frequently conducts visitor tours.

THE ROSE GARDEN AND WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS

Beyond the Oval Office, Trump removed the Rose Garden’s famous grass lawn and installed a white stone patio with umbrella-shaded tables, creating a design similar to his Mar-a-Lago Club pool area in Palm Beach, Florida. He justified the stone installation by explaining that women in high heels would sink into the grass.

Along the adjacent colonnade pathway, Trump hung portraits of all 47 American presidents, each accompanied by a plaque featuring Trump’s personal assessment of that individual.

Still resentful over his 2020 election defeat to Democrat Joe Biden, Trump substituted Biden’s portrait with a picture of an autopen, a signing device he and fellow Republicans have criticized Biden for using, despite its common use among recent presidents.

Throughout other White House grounds, Trump has installed large flagpoles on the North and South Lawns.

LINCOLN BATHROOM

Within the White House, Trump demolished the green-tiled, vintage-style bathroom in the Lincoln Bedroom and installed a contemporary replacement featuring white and black marble.

The original green-tiled Lincoln bathroom originated during Truman’s White House renovation in the 1950s, according to a 2007 Washington Post report.

During that period, President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush renovated the Lincoln Bedroom, which Lincoln had used as his office. The Post article covering the Bush renovation noted they had preserved the “well-maintained” bathroom.