United States President Donald Trump has announced that the new White House ballroom is expected to be completed and opened in September 2028, close to the end of his second term in office.
Trump disclosed the timeline on Friday through a post on Truth Social, where he also shared a photograph of himself alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping during his recent visit to Beijing.
“China has a Ballroom, and so should the U.S.A.! It’s under construction, ahead of schedule, and will be the finest facility of its kind anywhere in the U.S.A.,” Trump wrote.
“Thank you for all the support I have been given in getting this project going. Scheduled opening will be around September of 2028,” he added.
The statement marks the first time the president has publicly provided a projected completion date for the ballroom project.
Construction work on the facility recently entered a new phase after crews began building the ground floor earlier this week.
The project has sparked controversy in recent months, particularly after the White House East Wing was demolished to make room for the ballroom.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the project, arguing that the construction plans did not undergo sufficient public review.
However, a federal appeals court ruled in April that work on the underground section of the project could continue.
The estimated cost of the ballroom has also generated criticism from both Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans.
Earlier this week, the White House submitted a spending proposal to Senate Republicans detailing how $1 billion allocated for ballroom security would be utilised. The funding was included in a budget reconciliation package released by the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Homeland Security Committee.
