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13m ago

Commission Approves Final Design for Trump’s White House Ballroom

A surprise final vote at a virtual meeting after two new appointees were seated accelerated the project’s path.

Detailed renderings reveal the scale of the proposed 89,000-square-foot White House ballroom. The images by Shalom Baranes Associates—later removed from the National Capital Planning Commission’s website—show a new East Wing roughly a city block long, longer than the West Wing and more than half the length of the adjacent Treasury Building.
Chamberlain Harris serves as the Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations at the White House.
Construction continues on the ballroom where the East Wing used to stand at the White House, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner)
The construction of U.S.President Donald Trump's White House ballroom continues in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 12, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

Overview

  • The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts advanced the project with a 6–0 vote and one recusal, moving from design review to final approval in the same session.
  • The panel is now entirely composed of Trump appointees, with 26-year-old Chamberlain Harris sworn in shortly before the vote.
  • Public input ran overwhelmingly against the plan, as staff reported more than 2,000 comments with over 99% opposing the 90,000‑square‑foot addition.
  • The administration describes the estimated $400 million ballroom as privately funded, and updated renderings were presented by architect Shalom Baranes.
  • The proposal still faces a pending federal lawsuit by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and requires National Capital Planning Commission review on March 5.