The projected cost for constructing President Donald Trump’s new ballroom in the East Wing of the White House has escalated to $600 million, with more than half of this sum ultimately borne by taxpayers. This figure was reportedly confirmed on June 16 through estimates available to The Washington Post.
Accounting documents reveal a significant rise in construction and materials expenses over an estimated period spanning July 2025 to March 2026. Clark Construction, the contractor overseeing the project, informed the White House in March that the revised cost reached $600 million. Under this estimate, nearly half—the sum of $293 million—was designated as funding from “private sponsors.” However, internal documents indicate these funds would still be taxpayer money, alongside allocations of $155 million to the Secret Service, $149 million to the White House Military Directorate, and $3 million from the Executive Residence.
During a March 2, 2026 press conference, President Trump briefly discussed the ballroom’s construction, noting its intended grandeur but expressing frustration over builders’ noise disrupting First Lady Melania Trump’s peace. On May 19, he further announced plans for a six-story underground bunker beneath the ballroom complex, which would include sniper positions on the roof, bulletproof glass, bomb shelters, a military hospital, and specialized facilities for troops. The president asserted that construction was proceeding under private donations and on schedule, calling it “his gift to the United States.”
