Donald Trump wants a ‘beautiful ballroom’ in the White House—internet says, "That's wasteful"

President Donald Trump, during the signing of the executive order, expressed his long-held desire to build a grand ballroom in the White House. As he addressed the crowded East Room, filled with elected officials, guests, and children gathered under the crystal chandeliers, he recalled his past proposal.
“You know, I’d offered to build a ballroom right here,” he said. “A beautiful, beautiful ballroom.” However, he noted that his predecessor’s administration had never acted on the idea, leaving his vision unrealized. Talking about the ballroom, Trump said the East room would have been revamped and served as the entrance to the ballroom. However, the exact location where this grand ballroom will be situated was not discussed.

Trump was obsessed with the idea, so much so that he even proposed to build it out of his own pocket. “I offered to do it,” he said. “And I never heard back.” However, it was not just the Biden administration that Trump proposed his vision. In 2016, the White House told USA TODAY that Trump had proposed spending $100 million to build a new ballroom during Barack Obama's presidency, but the offer was swiftly declined.
While campaigning in 2016, Trump criticized the use of tents for White House events hosting foreign dignitaries, calling it an unsuitable way to receive them. Despite this, a state dinner for Kenyan President William Ruto was held in a tent last year. Tented state dinners are not a new phenomenon and have been happening for decades.
Now that he's back at the White House, Trump told the crowd Wednesday, “I'm going to try and make the offer to myself, you know... Because we could use a bigger room, right.”
However, it is not as simple as Trump puts it. Congress is responsible for allocating funds for the upkeep and maintenance of the White House and its grounds, according to the White House Historical Society. However, these funds are limited to repairs and furnishings, with no provisions for new additions like a ballroom.

Every new president receives a $100,000 allowance from Congress to refurbish the private residence and the Oval Office. However, if Trump were to gain congressional support for his proposed ballroom, he would also need approval from the National Park Service, according to historian Douglas Brinkley (USA Today).
For now, the East Room, covering nearly 3,000 square feet, is the largest of the State Rooms and the only one that spans the full width of the executive mansion. Designed by James Hoban and George Washington as a "Public Audience Room," according to the White House Historical Association, it serves as a venue for dances, receptions, concerts, and press conferences.
The clip of President Trump’s speech has since gone viral. One user commented, “The last thing the White House needs is a ballroom. Biden threw too many parties - I remember drinking champagne at one gathering there & thinking it a bit bizarre that was paid for by hard-working taxpayer dollars. If he does build, Trump should pay for ballroom with his money.” Another user said, “If he's gonna pay for it with his own money then whatever I guess but I feel a ballroom at the white house is unimportant and unnecessary”