New Renderings Reveal Trump's Massive White House Ballroom Plans

The proposed 90,000-square-foot addition faces legal challenges and criticism from architects and preservationists.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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New renderings released by the White House offer the clearest look yet at President Donald Trump's proposed ballroom addition to the White House, a sweeping project that would mark the most significant change to the presidential residence in decades. The plans depict a roughly 90,000-square-foot structure that would house a ballroom and offices, but the design has faced concerns from federal design reviewers and criticism from architects who warn it could overshadow the iconic main mansion.

Why it matters

The White House ballroom project is a controversial undertaking that would dramatically alter the historic grounds and sightlines around the presidential residence. While Trump remains committed to the addition, the plan faces legal challenges and growing opposition from architects, preservationists, and members of Congress.

The details

The updated renderings, shared with the National Capital Planning Commission, show a notable design revision with the removal of a large triangular pediment above the southern portico after concerns were raised by federal design reviewers. However, the proposed addition would still be the same height as the White House at its highest point, a priority for Trump that has drawn criticism from outside architects who say it would be 'out of scale' with the main mansion. Preparation work has already begun, including the controversial teardown of the East Wing last fall, and above-ground construction could start as soon as April.

  • The updated renderings were shared with the National Capital Planning Commission on February 10, 2026.
  • Preparation work on the project has been underway for several months, including the teardown of the East Wing in the fall of 2025.
  • Above-ground construction on the ballroom addition could begin as soon as April 2026.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president who is pushing for the construction of a massive ballroom addition to the White House.

Bruce Redman Becker

A Biden-appointed architect who was removed by Trump from the Commission of Fine Arts and has criticized the ballroom design as 'a poorly proportioned pseudo-neoclassical structure that is completely out of scale with the White House.'

National Capital Planning Commission

The federal agency that oversees major construction projects in the Washington, D.C. region and has reviewed the plans for the White House ballroom addition.

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What they’re saying

“The images shown in the renderings failed to comply with long-standing National Park Service guidelines.”

— Bruce Redman Becker, Biden-appointed architect (The Washington Post)

“It is 'a poorly proportioned pseudo-neoclassical structure that is completely out of scale with the White House.'”

— Bruce Redman Becker, Biden-appointed architect (The Washington Post)

What’s next

A federal judge is continuing to weigh whether Trump can rely on private donations to bypass congressional approval for the ballroom project, which could delay or halt construction.

The takeaway

The White House ballroom addition proposed by former President Trump remains a highly contentious project that faces significant legal and architectural hurdles. While Trump is determined to see it through, the plan's potential impact on the historic grounds and sightlines around the presidential residence has sparked growing opposition from preservationists, lawmakers, and design experts.