Conflict over the expansion of the White House. Trump is pushing a gigantic project

US President Donald Trump has been arguing in recent weeks with his chosen architect over the size of the ballroom being built at the White House, the Washington Post wrote on Wednesday. The architect emphasized that the hall should not overshadow the main building of the White House.

According to newspaper reports, Trump argued over the scale of the project with architect James McCrery II, whom he chose to design the ballroom. Four sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said it “reflects the conflict between architectural norms and Trump's bombastic aesthetic.”

The architect recommended restraint during the implementation of the project because he was afraid that the planned construction of a hall with an area of ​​over 8,000 square meters may dwarf the main building of the White Housewhich has an area of ​​approximately 5 thousand square meters. sq m. This would be a violation of the general architectural principle that the added annex should not dominate the main building.

The newspaper noted that “Trump's focus on the project and his persistence in implementing his vision, despite objections from those in his employ, conservationists and others concerned about the public's lack of engagement with the project, reflect his unwavering belief in himself as a tastemaker and his obsessive attention to detail.”

McCrery hid his own criticisms from the public while quietly working to implement Trump's plans, which demanded urgent changes to his plans, according to two people familiar with the talks on the matter. The president, a longtime real estate mogul who prides himself on his expertise, repeatedly delved into the details of the project during meetings with the architect in the Oval Office.

According to one of the sources, McCrery did not want to give up work on the project because he was afraid that another architect would create a building of inferior quality.

The entire East Wing of the White House was demolished to build the ballroom, which some Americans did not like. The hall will accommodate approximately one thousand people, and its planned area is over 8,000. sq m. Construction costs are estimated at USD 300 million. As Trump announced, the facility is not being built with taxpayer money. The published list of donors includes corporations, e.g. Apple, Amazon, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Google, Meta, but also private individuals. Trump himself also announced that he would provide funds for its creation.

The construction of the ballroom is not the only changes made to the White House grounds since the beginning of Trump's second presidential term. Paintings in gold frames were hung in the Oval Office and gold ornaments were added. The Rose Garden is paved with stone slabs, and the terrace has tables with yellow and white umbrellas.

At the end of September, the Presidential Walk of Fame appeared in the colonnade of the West Wing of the White House. Black and white portraits of US presidents framed in gold frames were hung on the wall. Instead of a portrait of the previous, Democratic president Joe Biden, a photo was hung showing a device for duplicating signatures, the so-called autopen.

Trump also announced the construction of a monumental triumphal arch, which is to be erected in Washington in 2026 on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the declaration of American independence. The monument, called “Arc de Trump” by the American media, is also intended to honor the president himself.

From Washington Natalia Dziurdzińska (PAP)

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