Trump Defends White House Ballroom Cost at Under $400 Million After Reports of Rising Price

President Donald Trump pushed back against reports of rising costs for his $400 million White House ballroom, stating Wednesday that the figure marks the upper end of the price range.

"The White House Ballroom is going up rapidly on the East side of the White House," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "The only reason the cost has changed is because, after deep rooted studies, it is approximately twice the size, and a far higher quality, than the original proposal, which would not have been adequate to handle the necessary events, meetings, and even future Inaugurations."

"The original price was 200 Million Dollars, the double sized, highest quality completed project will be something less than 400 Million Dollars. It will be magnificent, safe, and secure!"

"This was a necessary change, it was done long ago, but the Fake News failed to report it, trying to make it look like there was a cost overrun. Actually, it is coming in ahead of schedule, and under budget!"

Republicans tucked $1 billion in taxpayer funds for Trump ballroom security into an ICE and Border Patrol package. The funding targets the "East Wing Modernization Project" in a budget reconciliation bill that Trump aims to sign by June 1.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, highlighted the appropriation. The provision states: "None of the funds made available under this section may be used for non-security elements of the East Wing Modernization Project."

It allocates "$1,000,000,000 to remain available until September 30, 2029, for the purposes of security adjustments and upgrades, including within the perimeter fence of the White House Compound to support enhancements by the United States Secret Service relating to the East Wing Modernization Project, including above-ground and below-ground security features."

Trump described the $1 billion as a military, national security and White House expenditure separate from the $400 million ballroom, which he said remains under budget after a deliberate expansion approved long ago.

An NBC News report questioned whether security costs could still burden taxpayers, even if private donors fund the ballroom construction.

The National Capital Planning Commission approved preliminary and final site and building plans for the East Wing Modernization Project on April 2. Staff called it a permanent, secure event space to boost capacity for official state functions and cut reliance on temporary tents.

The plan features a 22,000-square-foot ballroom for about 1,000 seated dinner guests within 89,000 square feet of above-ground East Wing space.

The White House has stressed security needs, especially after Trump's third assassination attempt last month at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton. A White House spokesperson called the funding essential to help the Secret Service "fully and completely harden the White House complex," per NBC. Democrats cited by NBC said it reverses Trump's pledge that the ballroom would cost taxpayers nothing.

The project faces political and legal hurdles. Senate Democrats want to remove the $1 billion provision when the bill hits the floor, though Republicans expect no Democratic support anyway.

Construction continues amid the disputes. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon issued a preliminary injunction in March halting work for lack of congressional authorization, but the D.C. Circuit held it in abeyance. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, challenging the project, said the appeals court set a June 5 hearing and extended the stay until then.