President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the controversial new White House ballroom, currently under construction, will be significantly larger than originally planned, with a capacity of 900 people—nearly 40 percent more than the initial 650-person design.

The expansion comes as construction has just begun on the $200 million project, which Trump discussed in a telephone interview with NBC News while heavy machinery and trucks were visible at the construction site.

Why It Matters

The ballroom represents the biggest change to the White House exterior since the East Wing was expanded under Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942, marking a historic alteration to America’s most iconic residence.

As a legacy project intended to serve future administrations, the ballroom will fundamentally change how the White House hosts large diplomatic events and state functions, eliminating the need for temporary tents on the South Lawn that Trump has criticized as undignified for hosting foreign leaders and dignitaries.

What To Know

The 90,000-square-foot ballroom is being constructed at the East Wing location, which has traditionally served as office space for the first lady and her staff.

These offices will be temporarily relocated during construction, with the East Wing set to be modernized and renovated as part of the project. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that “nothing will be torn down” during the construction process.

When asked by reporters how he was “holding up” after the murder of his friend and ally Charlie Kirk just days prior, Trump replied, “I think very good, and by the way, right there, you see all the trucks? They’ve just started construction of the new ballroom for the White House, which is something they’ve been trying to get, as you know, for about 150 years.”

The former real estate developer has taken personal interest in the project’s details, selecting McCrery Architects as lead architect, Clark Construction for building, and AECOM for engineering, according to a White House statement.

The expanded capacity from 650 to 900 people addresses Trump’s long-standing complaint about the White House’s limited event space. Currently, the East Room—the mansion’s largest room—accommodates only about 200 people. Trump emphasized the ballroom’s separation from the historic mansion itself, stating it will be “near it but not touching it” and will pay “total respect to the existing building.”

What People Are Saying

President Donald Trump told NBC News: “We’re making it a little bigger. It will be top of the line, as good as it can get anywhere in the world.”

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles: “President Trump is a builder at heart and has an extraordinary eye for detail. The President and the Trump White House are fully committed to working with the appropriate organizations to preserving the special history of the White House while building a beautiful ballroom that can be enjoyed by future Administrations and generations of Americans to come.”

McCrery Architects CEO Jim McCrery: “Presidents in the modern era have faced challenges hosting major events at the White House because it has been untouched since President Harry Truman. 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.”

What Happens Next?

With construction now underway, the project faces a four-year timeline to meet its early 2029 completion goal.