# Trump Ball Room - the white elephant in the room **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [November 29, 2025, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237 "2025-11-29T20:06:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/41 "2025-12-05T09:59:00Z")
That was six days ago, right? OK, forget it: > US President Donald Trump has hired a new architect for the planned ballroom at the White House. Shalom Baranes’ firm is now responsible for the $300 million construction project, the White House announced on Thursday in Washington. According to media reports, Trump had fallen out with the previous architect, James McCrery, over the size of the extension. [Cite](https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/trump-beauftragt-nach-streit-um-ballsaal-neuen-architekten-accg-200327128.html) in German. ETA: Cite in the **[NYT](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/us/politics/trump-ballroom-white-house-construction.html)** too. With nice picture: [![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/12/04/multimedia/04trump-news-ballroom-architect-qvfj/04trump-news-ballroom-architect-qvfj-superJumbo.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp) ](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/12/04/multimedia/04trump-news-ballroom-architect-qvfj/04trump-news-ballroom-architect-qvfj-superJumbo.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp) Nice building you have here. Would be a shame if it got demolished, wouldn’tt it? ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/42 "2025-12-10T02:43:35Z")
If trump, as he says, is not going use tax-payer money on this project, but rather pay for it himself trough donors. Wouldn’t that mean trump would own part of the white house? He could then collect rent from future president, couldn’t he? Things can get complicated quickly? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/43 "2025-12-10T02:47:07Z")
> [@Loggins](#): > > He could then collect rent from future president, couldn’t he? Who could then collect rent for the land it’s on, that Trump does not own. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/44 "2025-12-11T15:54:02Z")
Yet. I’m sure he would like to own it. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/45 "2025-12-11T17:03:58Z")
It would require an agreement with the government. Something like the Curry Company in Yosemite. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/46 "2025-12-11T17:16:43Z")
> [@Loggins](#): > > If trump, as he says, is not going use tax-payer money on this project, but rather pay for it himself trough donors. This White House web page suggests to me that a lot of the costs will be bourn by the Secret Service AKA government: [Ballroom Construction to Begin](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/07/the-white-house-announces-white-house-ballroom-construction-to-begin/) > [@](#): > > President Trump, and other patriot donors, have generously committed to donating the funds necessary to build this approximately $200 million dollar structure. The United States Secret Service will provide the necessary security enhancements and modifications. Even if there is enough money contributed to pay for those “security enhancements and modifcations,” I do not think donations will be used for that purpose. Donald Trump has said that leftover funds will ["“probably, maybe [be used] for the arch or something else that will come.”](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-17/trump-plans-to-build-paris-style-arc-in-us-capital/105904744?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/47 "2025-12-11T17:33:21Z")
In trump’s first term I used the old saying ‘a bull in a China shop’ a time or two to describe how he was knocking down the guardrails of government. I was wrong. He’s a bull_ **dozer** _ in a China shop. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/48 "2025-12-11T17:52:45Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > I believe that is as far as the Ball Room project will ever get. If this was Trump’s level of competence, he would not be President. He is not going to tear down the facade of the central part of the White House because that would be too unpopular. Truman (or, really, Congress during the Truman administration) had the White House interior gutted and replaced. I suppose that could happen again, but I doubt it will due to time constraints and issues over where Trump would camp out. If he thinks the White House is a dump, I imagine that Blair House is way beneath him. As for Trump taking over Vance’s place ( 1 Observatory Circle), JD is being careful not to get on Trump’s bad side. As to whether the ballroom will be done before the 2028 elections, I predict yes. When you do not have to worry about building codes, things speed up. And Trump knows it would look bad if not completed. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/49 "2025-12-11T18:05:16Z")
PREDICTION (somebody make a note): At some tantrum-inducing point in the future (pick one or suggest another) either if the Republicans get slammed in the midterms, or when the SCOTUS or some other entity prevents him from running in 2028, or if somehow he does run in 2028 and loses, Donnie is going to bulldoze and _level_ the entire White House. He’ll just hire some people and do it, like he did the East Wing. No discussion, no argument, no fuss, no muss, no bother. Because who is going to stop him? If, God forbid a thousand times, he does run in 2028 and wins, we are so super-fucked that we won’t even care, but if that happens, he will definitely bulldoze the entire White House (probably including the ballroom) and build an entirely new residence named after himself, or else just get Mar-a-Lago moved to D.C. brick by brick. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/50 "2025-12-11T19:14:25Z")
> [@Loggins](#): > > trump, as he says, is not going use tax-payer money on this project, but rather pay for it himself trough donors. Wouldn’t that mean trump would own part of the white house? He could then collect rent from future president, couldn’t he? Things can get complicated quickly? Those donations are only tax deductible if they are to a nonprofit. That’s not code for one of Trump’s many bankruptcies. ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/51 "2025-12-11T19:23:54Z")
Allright, thats reassuring ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/52 "2025-12-11T19:46:21Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > It would require an agreement with the government. Well, he runs the government, and he loves self-dealing. So Businessman Trump will make an offer on the land ($1, take it or leave it!), and then president Trump will order the government to counter-offer (We’ll give you 10 billion to take it off our hands, you brilliant genius, you!), and then Businessman Trump will graciously accept. And then set the rent to $5million/day. Cite: See Trump’s DoJ settling multiple lawsuits against the government in favor of Trump and his toadies; Trump’s Secret Service renting rooms at elevated prices at Trump properties. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2025, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/53 "2025-12-11T20:16:56Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > PREDICTION (somebody make a note): > > . . . > > Donnie is going to bulldoze and _level_ the entire White House. Then where does he stay in DC? I’m not big on Trump=Hitler, but just this one time: Hitler did not tear down the Reich Chancellery. He kept living there while he had a new one built nearby. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/54 "2025-12-12T13:47:34Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Then where does he stay in DC? He hasn’t the ability to think that far ahead. He’s a Gold Fish really. And being a person that has never been held accountable for his actions, he doesn’t care. Not holding him accountable is our shame, we will never, ever live it down. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/55 "2025-12-12T14:24:21Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Not holding him accountable is our shame, we will never, ever live it down. We’ll never live down not enforcing the 15th amendment (African American voting rights) for a century. Letting Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee get away with it? That was totally lived down, and IMHO rightly so. As Lincoln said, let ‘em up easy. P.S. I do not know all the details but believe it was a disgrace that a court, in 1878, took away the old Davis plantation from former slaves, giving it back to Davis. The analogy here is that the government should take back Mar-a-Lago. But there is no benefit in locking Trump up. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/56 "2025-12-12T14:36:35Z")
The only way to ‘live it down’ is to hold those responsible accountable. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/57 "2025-12-12T14:48:06Z")
Re last post, if we are talking about the ballroom, it should have been authorized by Congress (or, better yet, been voted down). But this is just the sort of legal violation SCOTUS has ruled the president is allowed. More broadly, we will never live down, for a thousand years, that our people twice voted for a strongman when there was a normal small d democratic alternative. Locking up old men won’t change that. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/58 "2025-12-12T15:17:26Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Locking up old men won’t change that. It’s a start. We aren’t going to change the minds of people that vote for a criminal bigoted racist moron. But lock up the criminal bigoted racist moron and perhaps fewer will run for office. Instead of them ruining a country, let them rob conveniences stores, or whatever their other life goals are. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/59 "2025-12-12T15:46:14Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Then where does he stay in DC? There’s the Waldorf Astoria, formerly the Trump Hotel, formerly the Old Post Office… ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2025, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237/60 "2025-12-12T15:55:13Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > > > Donnie is going to bulldoze and _level_ the entire White House. > > Then where does he stay in DC? He won’t. He’ll stay in his “White House South” at Mar-A-Lago till the massive new gaudy Trump House is built in D.C. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ball-room-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/1025237.md?page=4)