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join the discussion Advertisement More Stories Donald Trump pictured last month speaking with the media next to the ongoing construction of the East Wing and Ballroom.Alamy Stock Photo White House Trump’s ballroom costs soar to $600m according to leaked report Trump has repeatedly insisted that private donors would foot the bill – but it’s emerged it’s falling to US taxpayers instead. 8.09am, 17 Jun 2026 Share options US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump’s ballroom project at the White House will cost as much as $600 million (or
about €516 million), with more than half coming from taxpayers. Trump had previously estimated the cost at $400 million (€344 million) and repeatedly insisted that private donors – including himself – would foot the bill for the new building, a centrepiece of his drive to put his stamp on the US capital. But the Washington Post has reported on Tuesday even higher costs, citing a copy of a detailed cost estimate prepared for the Trump administration by Clark Construction, the contractor hired to build the
ballroom. The project began last year when Trump, with little warning and without consulting Congress, tore down the entire historic East Wing of the White House. The White House insisted in a statement to AFP Tuesday that Trump and the donors were bearing most of the cost. “President Trump and generous American patriots are funding the ballroom to the tune of approximately $400 million, which will be a secure and appropriate venue for Presidents for generations to come,” spokesman Davis Ingle said. An alleged plot
to attack the White House during a cage fight attended by Trump and other top officials at the weekend “proves exactly why the East Wing Modernization Project is severely needed for large scale events,” he said. Ingle added that the ballroom project was “inextricably tied” to presidential security and other security assets, which Trump says include drone ports on the roof and a hospital in the basement. In late March, Trump reiterated to reporters that the project would cost up to $400 million, calling it
“taxpayer free.” However, a summary prepared for the White House earlier that month already estimated the total cost at $600 million, with only $293 million coming from “private sources,” the Post said. Advertisement And when Trump made those comments in March, the administration had already approved more than a dozen payments of public funds to Clark Construction totalling tens of millions of dollars, the Post said, citing a log of the contractor’s invoices which it obtained. When Trump first floated the idea of the ballroom
he said it would cost $200 million. Democratic opponents of the president have pointed to the gilded ballroom and other costly renovation projects around the US capital as evidence that the billionaire leader is out of touch with everyday Americans. Republicans fear that continued concerns among voters about the cost of living — especially soaring fuel costs due to the Iran war — could spell disaster in the November midterm elections. “This is a gift to the United States of America,” Trump said last month
as he took reporters on a tour of the building site, shouting over the noise of hammers and buzz saws. “This is all my money and donors’ money. This is tax-free,” Trump said. The builder was quoted by the Washington Post as saying details of the project are confidential. The project has prompted a legal battle, with a judge ruling in March that work above ground needed to halt. The ruling was put on hold as an appeals court considers the case. Trump’s administration has
also argued that the need for the ballroom became more urgent after a man with a gun tried to break into a gala press dinner he was attending in April. With reporting by – © AFP 2026 Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone. A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Support
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Donald Trump, White House, ballroom project, Clark Construction, leaked report, $600 million, taxpayers, Davis Ingle, East Wing modernization, legal battle, midterm elections