A ballroom, flag poles, the Rose Garden: Here's what Trump's changing at the White House
On Thursday, July 31, the White House announced plans to begin construction in September on a $200 million ballroom on the east part of the mansion, which Trump has vowed to pay out of his own pocket and with private donations.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the new "innately designed and carefully crafted" 90,000 square-foot ballroom will be a "much-needed and exquisite addition" to hold large events on the White House complex.
The new ballroom, which is expected to be completed before Trump's term is over in 2029, is one of the several changes the president has announced for the centuries-old building. Here's what the Trump administration has announced, so far.
$200 million ballroom
The ballroom, which is expected to be done by 2029, will be able to hold 650 people, some 200 more people than the White House's East Room, where presidents have historically held large receptions.
Trump has frequently complained that the White House lacks a proper large-scale ballroom for entertaining.
"President Trump and other donors have generously committed to donating the funds necessary to build this $200 million structure," Leavitt said during a July 31 briefing.
New flag poles
Back in June, two 88-foot-tall flagpoles, one on the north lawn and one on the south lawn of the White House, were installed after Trump said they were desperately needed and that he would pay for them himself.
'How do you like it, everybody?' Trump said to reporters after the flag reached the top of one of the poles.
"It is a GIFT from me of something which was always missing from this magnificent place," Trump said in a social media post. "Hopefully, they will proudly stand at both sides of the White House for many years to come!"
A stone Rose Garden
Another change Trump has begun to implement is renovations to the White House's iconic Rose Garden.
Construction crews broke ground on the outdoor area in June after Trump ordered a major remodel, including replacing the grass with gravel.
The president has said in previous interviews he wanted the area paved for the ease of visitors − specifically those in heeled footwear.
'What was happening is, that's supposed to have events. Every event you have, it's soaking wet,' Trump told Fox News' Laura Ingraham in March. 'It's soaking wet ... and the women with the high heels, it's just too much.'
Gold, gold, and more gold
Perhaps the most visible change made by the president tracks his stylistic choices over the years: his preference for gold. More than six months after making his return to the White House, Trump's Oval Office became a golden room.
Gold-colored appliqués on the fireplace, gilded mirrors, and ornate Rococo-style 18th and 19th-century dessert stands and flower vases from London and France sit on the mantle, as USA TODAY previously reported. The walls are chockablock with paintings of former presidents in heavily ornate gold frames. The Cabinet Room has been outfitted with new ceiling medallions and a grandfather clock.
The golden changes to the room differ vastly from former President Joe Biden's Oval Office, which had a more sparse golden touch on its walls.
USA TODAY's Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, Erin Mansfield, Savannah Kuchar, and Joey Garrison contributed to this report.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
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