A "ballroom" isn't such a terrible idea, imo

[gulliver]

It allows for better security for large White House gatherings for one thing. And it works for both warm and cold seasons. I asked AI, and the East Wing was basically just a bunch of office space including, the First Lady's offices, along with a classified emergency bunker.

Trump being Trump, we'll probably see political rallies and an IFC or WWE event or two. But there may be a few appropriate events mixed in.

The worst part is the private funding. That looks like a way for donors to influence Trump. Fortunately, we've already established that influence peddling is Ok. It's what the Founders would want.

[leftstreet]

1. Arlington Cemetery would make a nice Golf Course

[dwayneb]

5. I would not put it past the sick freak that is our President to defile Arlington

He has essentially done that from day 1, he hates the suckers and losers that fought and died to keep dictators like him from destroying our Constitution.

[dwayneb]

2. It's a distraction

Away from things that matter a lot more - like starting a war with our South American neighbors.

[NoRethugFriends]

3. Yeh, right.

[BootinUp]

4. Check out Krugman's take.

https://open.substack.com/pub/paulkrugman/p/trumps-gilded-ballroom-and-the-fall

[gulliver]

6. Good article

Thanks for posting

[yonder]

12. Quick, worthwhile read. Thanks.

[ananda]

14. Yes, tackiness and tyranny go hand in hand.

It's a rich white trash dictatorship run by
fools with poor minds and plastic faces.

And we're all stuck in this ship of fools
already leaking water as it sinks.

[Ocelot II]

7. There already is a ballroom in the main White House.

It's called the East Room. It's quite elegant, originally designed by James Hoban and George Washington to be a "Public Audience Room." It's been used for a variety of large gatherings ever since. It just isn't big enough to accommodate the number of oligarchs Trump intends to entertain for the solicitation of bribes.

And don't ask AI about shit. The East Wing was a lot more than just a bunch of offices.

[gulliver]

8. I didn't do the AI justice.

It also mentioned the bit about the East Wing being used as basically a large gathering place for public tours and so forth.

I'm also bothered by the loss of history. If it were the main White House, well, Trump wouldn't have done it. Even Trump.

When we get back to the White House, I'm sure we'll find a way to use the space for some good.

[hlthe2b]

21. LOL. Trump would not do that to the main White House residence building? Really? Seems I read some here claiming

when he first started talking about a ballroom, that he'd never just DO it--that he'd have to go to Congress--and then when he took the wrecking ball to the East Wing? Well, he'll surely stop there, right?

When are we going to learn that we cannot put ANYTHING past Trump. ANYTHING. And that includes taking us to war, btw.

[BootinUp]

24. Trump does things to get reactions and suck up the oxygen, he doesn't use some kind of value

judgement, so "even trump" predictions are worthless.

[KPN]

27. Yeah, demolition and erasure of everything tRump -- that'll be something good. Side benefit: a very good screwing of

the oligarchs who are donating money for the Epstein Ballroom, whether to kiss his ass or buy off our government. A good fucking to and for them all!

[Doodley]

9. Yes, it is a terrible idea. It is a symbol of Trump's dictatorship, his grifting, and will be corruptly funded.

Never have I heard any president or other lawmakers say they need a 90.000 square foot ballroom. It isn't Trump's White House to sell for influence and grandeur.

[Blue Owl]

10. *THIS GUY* needs a $350 million ballroom?

[Justice matters.]

17. Let's name it the Epstein Ballroom until its demolition.

After it's demolished, let's put a tombstone on the lawn over with a plaque showing in all caps

EPSTEIN BALLROOM
2025 - (date of death)
NEVER FORGET

[Blue Owl]

18. Works for me!

The Epstein Ballroom it is.

[sinkingfeeling]

11. Sure, let's bulldoze everything that's not shiny and new. Who cares about things like history and tradition?

[ananda]

15. I think I got Trump's basic motive down.

He is mentally and psychologically unable to
do anything balletter than anybody else; and
since he feels one-upped by our entire history
of leaders and their products, he wants to
destroy all their products, monuments, and
history and recreate his own, no matter what
it looks like.

It's the era of replacement, even with cheap,
gaudy, tacky, and of course bloody artifacts.

[Tommy Carcetti]

16. It's a money laundering operation.

You understand that, right?

[hlthe2b]

20. Yup

[hlthe2b]

19. We do NOT need a gold-plated ballroom almost twice the size of existing WH residence! We do not need

an ego-boosting project that allows Trump to disregard OUR HOUSE for a setting he hopes to rival Versailles or the Russian monarchical monstrosities of history for the sole purpose of grifting/extorting from the oligarchy--like Putin. When we ignore the legalities of what he is doing, we only reward him and encourage further obscenities.

Further, we do not need to allow Trump to decimate our history, and if you think he's going to prioritize offices for the First Lady, I've got news for you. No First Lady (including the current makes on bit of damned difference to him--nor does he consider them worthy of acknowledgement for any contributions).

But, I return to the obscene monstrosity Trump intends to build (and which our refusal to require him to follow rules or laws or even precedents to ensure historical and architectural appropriateness and scale). Is this REALLY what you want to see? It is so out of proportion that it totally cheapens the original building. I am appalled.

[OrwellwasRight]

22. The worst part is treating the White House as if it were private property.

Last edited Mon Nov 10, 2025, 05:19 AM - Edit history (1)

It’s not. It’s public property. And historical to boot. It’s not Mar-a-Lago. He doesn’t have any rights to make any structural changes.

It is one more example of turning up the heat on the boiling frog. One more thing for us to say “it’s no big deal, I can live with this.”

[yardwork]

23. Unrec

[Skittles]

25. it is FUCKING DISGUSTING

seriously

[MineralMan]

26. Nonsense. It is a horrible idea.

That you don't recognize that indicates that you are not really thinking about it. We need to think, not react.

[gulliver]

32. It's capricious, disrespectful, ill-funded, probably a garish abomination once done

On the other hand, it's a building. And it's not the West Wing. Only so much land in a key place can be dedicated to museum-like uses. I have exactly the same feelings about it as others do. I would rather it hadn't happened. But there is a bright side.

Will it be a "ballroom?" Or is it going to become more multi-purpose, allowing very large gatherings that can happen in any season and in any weather conditions? Will inaugurations and other key ceremonies and gatherings be done there under better security? Is it in fact going to be more secure as an emergency shelter? Are we going to enjoy completely changing it in 2028?

[snowybirdie]

28. I think the desecration

of a symbol of government at least needed review, transparency and all branches agreement before it was torn down. Teddy Roosevelt built it. Just a bunch of offices were where history was made is more important than a man's ego.

[Keepthesoulalive]

29. What price comfort

There is no justification for this destruction. What has he ever done that has made the nation better. That disgusting ballroom is just another gut punch.

[Diraven]

30. He's turning the WH into a dues paying country club

Except instead of membership fees there will just be bribes. The ballroom enables him to hugely increase the volume of the bribery to literally hundreds of people at a time for every event they hold there.

[Prairie Gates]

31. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

UNREC x 1,000,000

Fucks sake.

[NJCher]

33. It's a stupid idea

Imagine the cost of heating this thing, year after year. Maintenance. He would be sticking us with huge overhead for a building that doesn't merit building.

I want my representatives working on my behalf, like they are being paid to do. NOT wining and dining thousands of people on my tax dime.

I truly hope this hideous project is stopped.

Public outrage, if nothing else.