Summary
- Trump plans to name the new $300 million ballroom after himself.
- Officials call it "The President aald J. Trump Ballroom."
- Ballroom will be 90,000 square feet, holding up to 999 guests.
According to ABC News, officials have already dubbed the expected 90,000-square-foot event venue "The President Donald J. Trump Ballroom."
The outlet was informed by senior Trump officials that the moniker will "probably stick."
Trump hasn't revealed the ballroom's name yet, but when ABC asked him about it on Thursday, he grinned and responded, "I won't get into that now."
In the United States and other countries, Trump's name is already emblazoned on a vast number of structures, golf courses, and merchandise.
Workers started tearing down the historic East Wing this week as the government shutdown went on in order to create Trump's opulent ballroom, which he said was being funded by private donations.
Before his term ends in 2029, Trump intends to conduct state dinners and other occasions in the massive gilded ballroom, which will be 55,000 square feet and dwarf the White House.
According to the president, the project's original $250 million budget has now increased to over $300 million.
He said that his private donors had raised almost $350 million.
Among those mourning Trump's destruction of the East Wing, which existed for over a century until being demolished last week, was the daughter of former President Ronald Reagan.
“The images we’ve now all seen of the East Wing being demolished are heartbreaking,”
Patti Davis, 73, wrote in a New York Times opinion essay published Friday.
“Over the centuries, many presidents have altered the White House, and certainly older buildings need to be updated and repaired. But this is complete destruction.”
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle previously said the renovations will benefit future generations.
“President Trump is working 24/7 to Make America Great Again, including his historic beautification of the White House, at no taxpayer expense,”
Ingle wrote in a statement.
“These long-needed upgrades will benefit generations of future presidents and American visitors to the People’s House – something we should all celebrate.”
How would renaming affect official White House events and protocol?
Renaming the White House Chamber after President Trump would substantially affect the sanctioned picking conventions used in event assignments, programs, and protocols. The chamber’s new name would be reflected in all formal dispatches and conventional references, signifying the space as the" Trump Chamber."
In terms of protocol, sanctioned White House events held in this chamber would source the renamed venue, which may also serve as an emblematic assertion of Trump’s heritage and influence. State feasts, receptions, press briefings, and other formal functions would use the new chamber name in sanctioned documents and speeches.
Still, the procedures and traditions of White House events are doubtful to change significantly. The renaming serves largely as a branding or heritage marker rather than altering security arrangements, seating plans, or political protocols, which are governed by longstanding conventions.