{"id":2518257,"date":"2025-12-06T11:04:01","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T16:04:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-says-wh-ballroom-under-budget-and-ahead-of-schedule\/"},"modified":"2025-12-06T11:05:48","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T16:05:48","slug":"trump-says-wh-ballroom-under-budget-and-ahead-of-schedule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-says-wh-ballroom-under-budget-and-ahead-of-schedule\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump says WH ballroom &#8216;under budget and ahead of schedule&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-says-wh-ballroom-under-budget-and-ahead-of-schedule%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2518257&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Former President Donald Trump announced that the construction of a new White House ballroom is &#8220;under budget and ahead of schedule&#8221; after he replaced the original <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rand-paul-grills-dr-fauci-for-trying-to-suppress-lab-leak-theory\/\" title=\"Rand Paul Grills Dr. Fauci For Trying To Suppress Lab-Leak Theory\">lead architect<\/a>. Trump explained that the increased cost-now projected at $300 million, up from an initial $200 million-is due to the project being larger and more ambitious, with a capacity expanded from 650 to about 1,000 people and upgraded finishes. The ballroom, expected to cover 90,000 square feet (considerably larger than the White House itself), is being privately funded. Following disagreements over the projectS size with original architect James McCreery II, Trump appointed Shalom Baranes to lead the construction, which is anticipated to be completed before the end of his second term. Trump also criticized CNN for its coverage of the project and Fox News for hosting a guest skeptical of his economic claims, while preparing to launch a nationwide affordability tour begining in Pennsylvania.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Trump says White House ballroom construction &lsquo;under budget and ahead of schedule&rsquo; after replacing architect<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2424615\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> on Saturday claimed the construction of his lavish <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/white-house\/\">White House<\/a> ballroom is &ldquo;under budget and ahead of schedule&rdquo; after he replaced the lead architect.<\/p>\n<p>In a Truth Social post, he <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/115672772354075395\">criticized CNN<\/a> after Kaitlan Collins asked why the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/east-wing-demolition-continues-history-of-white-house-renovations\/\" title=\"East Wing demolition continues history of ... renovations\">privately funded ballroom<\/a> is costing $100 million more than initially projected. In response to the reporter, he said the project has a higher price tag because the undertaking will be more ambitious in scope.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/in_focus\/3906164\/nexstar-tegna-local-tv-merger-trump-affordability\/\">How one of the biggest local TV mergers ever could blow a hole in Trump&#8217;s affordability push<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3905347\/trump-africa-multiple-tactics-affairs\/\">Trump&#8217;s work on Rwanda-Congo peace deal showcases his multiple tactics in handling African nations<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3908607\/trump-peace-prize-fifa-world-cup-draw\/\">Trump finally gets his peace prize as FIFA hands him inaugural award at World Cup draw<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;It is going to be double the size, and the quality of finishes and interiors has been brought to the highest level. Also, the column SPAN has been substantially increased for purposes of viewing,&rdquo; Trump wrote. &ldquo;It is actually under budget and ahead of schedule, as my jobs always are. It&rsquo;s just much bigger and more beautiful than originally planned.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>When the White House <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefings-statements\/2025\/07\/the-white-house-announces-white-house-ballroom-construction-to-begin\/\">announced the project<\/a> in July, the ballroom was expected to cost $200 million and fit roughly 650 people. The estimated cost is now projected to be $300 million, and Trump wants the space where the East Wing once was to accommodate up to 1,000 people.<\/p>\n<p>The president&rsquo;s original lead architect, James McCreery II, disagreed with Trump on the ballroom&rsquo;s large size, according to the <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2025\/11\/26\/trump-ballroom-architect-james-mccrery\/\">Washington Post<\/a><\/em>. Plans have the building measured at 90,000 square feet, approximately 35,000 square feet more than the White House itself.<\/p>\n<p>Following the reported disagreement, Trump tapped Shalom Baranes to lead construction. The White House anticipates the ballroom will be completed before the end of Trump&rsquo;s second term.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;As we begin to transition into the next stage of development on the White House Ballroom, the Administration is excited to share that the highly talented Shalom Baranes has joined the team of experts to carry out President Trump&rsquo;s vision on building what will be the greatest addition to the White House since the Oval Office &mdash; the White House Ballroom,&rdquo; White House spokesman Davis Ingle said.<\/p>\n<p>Trump boasted on Truth Social that the project is being fully funded by private donations instead of relying on taxpayer dollars, which he appears to accuse CNN of ignoring in its reporting.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;FAKE NEWS CNN, and the guy who runs the whole corrupt operation that owns it, is one of the worst in the business,&rdquo; he wrote. &ldquo;Their ratings are so low that they&rsquo;re not even counted or relevant anymore.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Aside from the ballroom, Trump also <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/115672630683376515\">criticized Fox News<\/a> Saturday morning on Truth Social for interviewing stockbroker Peter Schiff, whom he calls a &ldquo;Trump hating loser who has already proven to be wrong.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;He thinks prices are going up when, in fact, they are coming substantially down. Gasoline hit $1.99 a gallon yesterday, in certain states, and is down BIG since Biden,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Other prices are almost all down. Biden caused the AFFORDABILITY CRISIS, I&rsquo;M FIXING IT, along with everything else! Much of it, like the Border, is already fixed.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>On Saturday&rsquo;s episode of <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/video\/6386116593112\">Fox &amp; Friends<\/a><\/em>, Schiff argued gas prices won&rsquo;t stay low much longer while other prices are on the upward trend. He also claimed Trump&rsquo;s economic message is not much different from Bidenomics, and that products will only become less affordable under Trump.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3907940\/trump-new-architect-white-house-ballroom\/\">TRUMP HIRES NEW ARCHITECT FOR WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Either the show made a mistake, or it is heading in a different direction,&rdquo; the president said of Fox&rsquo;s weekend program. &ldquo;Check out the &lsquo;booker&rsquo; who put this jerk on!&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Trump is soon set to start his nationwide affordability tour in northeastern Pennsylvania, where he will likely tout lower gas prices and other aspects of his economic agenda. The tour will begin in the Keystone State on Tuesday, with <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >future tour stops<\/a> to be determined.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump says White House ballroom is under budget, ahead of schedule<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2159,"featured_media":2518258,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25295778398910.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[65586,4463,11097,3634,32127],"class_list":["post-2518257","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-ballroom","tag-budget","tag-schedule","tag-trump","tag-white-house"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25295778398910.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2518257","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2159"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2518257"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2518257\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2518261,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2518257\/revisions\/2518261"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2518258"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2518257"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2518257"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2518257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}