Donald J. Trump Ballroom Construction Continues During Shutdown

The White House confirmed construction of the privately funded, 90,000-square-foot Donald J. Trump Ballroom in the East Wing will continue despite the federal government shutdown because the work is financed with funds not tied to FY26 appropriations. The $200 million project (potentially up to $250 million) is designed to seat about 650 guests and is being built by McCrery Architects and Clark Construction, with completion expected before January 2029. The effort is backed by private donors — including Trump and reported corporate contributors such as Alphabet/YouTube, Google, Palantir, Lockheed Martin and Booz Allen Hamilton — and Alphabet/YouTube recently paid roughly $22–24 million in a settlement with about $22 million designated to the Trust for the National Mall to support the ballroom. The administration plans fundraising events tied to the project, including a reported Oct. 15 “legacy dinner,” while critics have seized on the optics of continuing a lavish, privately funded build as hundreds of thousands of federal workers are furloughed or unpaid. Economists warn the shutdown could exacerbate inflation and growth risks, underscoring broader economic concerns amid the continuing construction.