Private Donors Back $300M White House Ballroom

The Trump administration demolished part of the White House’s historic East Wing to build a reported $300 million ballroom, saying the privately funded project—backed by donors including Amazon, Apple and Alphabet—will modernize the mansion for large state events. First Lady Melania Trump reportedly opposed the demolition privately and distanced herself from the plan. Historians and political opponents condemned the teardown as an unnecessary erasure of heritage. Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton published a USA Today op‑ed calling the move an affront to the “People’s House,” promoted the essay on X, and argued renovations should include historians and public input. Donald Trump Jr. replied on social media by mocking the Clintons and invoking past scandals, intensifying partisan debate over stewardship of national landmarks and the optics of using private funds for sweeping changes.