A federal design panel dominated by presidential appointees has approved plans for President Donald Trump’s proposed ballroom at the White House, clearing a major hurdle for one of the most controversial construction projects in the building’s modern history.
The US Commission of Fine Arts gave its backing after architects revised the proposal to address concerns raised during earlier reviews. The commission, which advises the government on architecture and design in Washington, voted overwhelmingly in favour of the updated plans.
Commission chairman Rodney Mims Cook Jr defended the decision, saying the project was necessary to meet long-standing needs at the executive mansion.
“We have to protect the country and the country’s guests, and this is a facility that is definitely needed for over 150 years,” he said.
To make way for the ballroom, the East Wing of the White House was demolished in October 2025. Images from the site showed heavy machinery clearing the rubble as construction preparations began.
Opposition to the project remains intense. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has filed a lawsuit seeking to halt construction, arguing that the ballroom plans failed to comply with legally required review and consultation processes.
Trump has repeatedly insisted the White House needs a ballroom, saying existing spaces are inadequate for hosting major national events and visiting foreign leaders. He has promised the new structure will be “the most beautiful ballroom anywhere in the world” and said it will be financed entirely through private donations.
Originally designed to hold about 500 people, the ballroom’s capacity has since been expanded to accommodate approximately 1,350 guests.
Historic preservation groups and members of the public have criticised the plan, saying it undermines the integrity of one of the country’s most important landmarks.
In its federal lawsuit, the National Trust said no president has the authority to demolish parts of the White House without proper oversight.
“No president is legally allowed to tear down portions of the White House without any review whatsoever — not President Trump, not President Biden, and not anyone else,” the organisation said.
“And no president is legally allowed to construct a ballroom on public property without giving the public the opportunity to weigh in.”
The case remains ongoing.
Commission secretary Thomas Luebke said the panel had received more than 2,000 public submissions on the project. According to him, opposition was overwhelming, with more than 99% of comments opposing the ballroom.
At Thursday’s meeting, commission vice-chairman James McCrery recused himself from both discussion and voting. His architecture firm had initially been selected to design the ballroom, but the administration later reassigned the project to Shalom Baranes Associates.
Two new commission members appointed by Trump were sworn in at the start of the meeting, including Chamberlain Harris.
Despite the commission’s approval, the project still faces another key review. The National Capital Planning Commission, a 12-member panel, must also sign off on the ballroom. Its next meeting to consider the proposal is scheduled for early March.
Six members of that commission are Trump appointees, while two others are Republican lawmakers from the US Congress.
The ballroom is not the only large-scale construction project Trump has proposed in Washington. He has also announced plans for a triumphal arch to commemorate the United States’s upcoming 250th anniversary — another idea that has drawn public debate.
