White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to critics of President Donald Trump’s proposed $400 million White House ballroom. She dismissed the experts mentioned in a New York Times report as unqualified to judge the project.
In a post on X, Leavitt argued that The New York Times used “three random people” who had “studied fine arts,” written about urban planning for years, and had “never built anything” to criticize the plan.
She noted that Trump and his lead architect “have built world-class buildings around the world” and stated that their efforts to create a beautiful ballroom for “the People’s House,” which has been needed for decades. She also made sure she mentioned that the project is at no cost to taxpayers.
Her remarks followed criticism of the design reported in a Times feature. The ballroom is set to replace the demolished East Wing and become a dominant feature on the White House grounds when viewed from the south.
This post and story should be immediately retracted by ABC News for providing false information to intentionally alarm the American people.
They wrote this based on one email that was sent to local law enforcement in California about a single, unverified tip. The email even… https://t.co/jKey9ahsNk
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) March 12, 2026
The Independent stated that the planned addition would be 60 percent larger than the White House Executive Residence. The experts who gave their opinion in the Times questioned both the design choices and the tight construction schedule.
Design concerns included a large staircase on the south side that does not lead into the ballroom, columns that some believe could block light and interior views, and north-facing architectural elements described as masonry niches meant to resemble windows. The report also mentioned that architect Thomas Gallas questioned the timeline, saying it “never made any sense to me.”
The New York Times defended its reporting after Leavitt’s post. Fox News quoted Times spokesperson Danielle Rhoades Ha, who stated that the article was based on interviews with architects, current and former government officials, preservationists, public documentation, and comments from White House officials involved in the planning.
She noted the project had “little time for public review” compared to other major developments in Washington and that experts identified “many issues” with the design.
BELOW THE SURFACE: President Trump reveals the U.S. military is building a “massive complex” beneath the planned, privately-funded White House ballroom, and that construction is “ahead of schedule.” pic.twitter.com/VDbepFqox8
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 30, 2026
Trump has continued to support the project; per a Reuters report, he told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday that the ballroom is “ahead of schedule and under budget.” He added that the $400 million project would be funded entirely through private donations and described it as part of an effort to improve the White House’s ability to host large events.
The president also mentioned a “massive” military complex being built beneath the ballroom. He stated that the structure would have bulletproof glass and a drone-proof roof. Reuters reported that Trump referred to the ballroom as a cover for the underground construction, while Fox News quoted him saying the military was building the complex and that the administration was “doing very well.”
Reuters reported that the National Trust for Historic Preservation has filed a lawsuit, claiming the administration bypassed required reviews and public input.
A federal judge is expected to decide by the end of March whether to issue an injunction to pause the work while the case progresses. The National Capital Planning Commission is also scheduled to vote on the ballroom plan on Thursday.
So far, the President has already fired the original architect associated with the project over disagreements with the size, and the estimated budget has already ballooned by $100 million.
With an estimated completion date of 2028, it is unclear if Trump will still be president when the controversial project is finished.
