Karoline Leavitt defended Donald Trump’s controversial $400 million ballroom project. The White House press secretary fired back at experts who weighed in with their opinions, criticizing the architecture of the ballroom. She was quick to dismiss their opinions in a post on her X account.
Her post reads, “The New York Times had three random people who have ‘studied fine arts,’ ‘long written about urban planning,’ and never built anything to write an article criticizing the new White House ballroom.”
She further praised Trump, “President Trump and his lead architect have built world-class buildings around the world, and they are ensuring the People’s House finally has a beautiful ballroom that’s been needed for decades — at no expense to the taxpayer.”
The New York Times had three random people who have “studied fine arts,” “long written about urban planning,” and never built anything to write an article criticizing the new White House ballroom.
President Trump and his lead architect have built world-class buildings around… https://t.co/qAl2gk6hDA pic.twitter.com/vRH9U6mes0
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) March 29, 2026
Three of the authors of the The New York Times piece included Emily Badger, who writes about urban planning; Junho Lee, a trained architect; and Larry Buchanan, who has studied fine arts. Donald Trump’s ballroom, often described as a vanity project, was initially estimated to cost $200 million.
The project is now estimated to reach $400 million due to its extravagant design, which includes high ceilings and a grand staircase. Trump has maintained that the project is funded entirely by private donations.
The New York Times piece dissected the ballroom’s architecture, calling out its size. The structure appears 60% larger than the residence when viewed from the south, disrupting its symmetry. Moreover, the article noted that the grand staircase leads nowhere, as there are no doors on that end of the building.
As a result, it appears to be a redundant addition made primarily for design purposes. Another design element that has drawn criticism is the addition of massive columns, which could block both the view and natural light.
The ballroom’s architect, Shalom Baranes, also confirmed the south portico to be merely an “aesthetic decision.” Many have criticized the ballroom project for several reasons, including that Trump did not obtain approval for the East Wing demolition from key oversight bodies.
An X user wrote under Karoline Leavitt’s post, “Inflation is rising, oil prices are climbing, people are losing their jobs. Meanwhile, the White House is focused on a ballroom.” Many agreed with the design flaws highlighted in the New York Times article.
A vote on Trump’s controversial ballroom proposal at the White House has been delayed after public backlash. The National Capital Planning Commission pushed the decision to April 2, citing the large volume of public comments opposing it.https://t.co/LxCw9IXLmV
— Archinect (@archinect) March 6, 2026
There were some MAGA supporters who praised the design in Karoline Leavitt’s X post. One user commented, “The New York Times sent a fine arts student, an urban planning writer and an architect who has never built anything to critique a man who has built skyscrapers around the world.”
Another user offered an explanation for the design, “The entrance is in no way supposed to be at the top of the Grand Staircase. I see the bollards are there to stop truck bombs from driving up those stairs—essentially acting as a ramp. It’s extra tall because there will be ways to set up a stage and hold events and concerts with portable seating.”
Amid strong public criticism, the National Capital Planning Commission is set to cast its final vote on the project on Thursday.
