See the full timeline of Trump's $400 million White House ballroom and military complex

President Donald Trump is building a new White House ballroom.

Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images President Donald Trump is building a new $400 million White House ballroom and military complex.

The project has been embroiled in lawsuits and controversy, and its price tag continues to increase.

As of August, the Trump administration says construction is "65% finished." You can take President Donald Trump out of real estate, but you can't take real estate out of President Donald Trump.

Trump has exhibited a particular passion for redesigning the nation's capital and renovating the White House in his second, non-consecutive term, redecorating historic spaces such as the Oval Office and the Rose Garden .

His most ambitious — and controversial — project thus far: demolishing the East Wing to build a $400 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom complex reminiscent of his Mar-a-Lago estate .

The project has prompted a lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and widespread criticism regarding the use of taxpayer funds for security measures in the new addition.

The Trump administration maintains that the new ballroom, which includes a military complex underneath, is necessary for national security.

"The East Wing Modernization Project is inextricably tied to the security of the president, the White House grounds, and the certain security infrastructure assets," White House spokesman David Ingle told Business Insider.

Ingle also highlighted recent attempts on the president's life, including a shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in April and a thwarted attack on the UFC Freedom 250 event in June, adding that these instances prove "exactly why the East Wing Modernization Project is severely needed for large-scale events, which include drone-proof structures and drone ports among other critical security enhancements." Here's a look at how the White House ballroom project has progressed — and how the new building is taking shape.

July 31, 2025: The White House announced plans to construct a new $200 million ballroom measuring 90,000 square feet on the site of the East Wing.

The East Wing of the White House before its demolition.

Kevin Carter/Getty Images The White House said the new ballroom would seat 650 people, an upgrade from the East Room's 200-person capacity, and that Trump and "other patriot donors" would provide the funds.

McCrery Architects, based in Washington, DC, was announced as the lead architect, with construction work led by Maryland-based Clark Construction.