Fake windows, blocked views and stairs to nowhere: How Trump’s $300 million White House ballroom was gutted by architects

Architects and design experts have raised concerns about US President Donald Trump’s controversial plans to build a new White House ballroom, warning the proposal has major design flaws and risks altering one of the country’s most historic buildings.The new ballroom is expected to cost $300 million to $400 million. It is planned to replace the East Wing of the White House and has drawn criticism from professionals who say the design is impractical and disruptive.Some architectural critics noted that they considered some features in the plan to be pointless. They noted “false windows on the north side,” interior columns blocking views into the space, stairs leading to nowhere, and an overly large roof area.The deficiencies were noted in a detailed report published by The New York Times, which examined the ballroom’s model ahead of a critical vote scheduled for April 2 by the State Capital Planning Commission. The committee reviews major changes to federal properties, including the White House grounds.

Experts say the ballroom will be more than three times the size of the main White House residence, destroying the historic symmetry of the presidential residence. The Times quoted construction experts as saying, “Construction cranes are already spinning over the White House grounds, and the hasty review is completely different from the way in which new monuments, museums and even modest renovations in the capital have been designed and refined for decades.”The east wing was demolished in October 2025 to make way for the project, a move that sparked controversy as it occurred before full planning approval was granted.Public opposition has been strong. About 98% of more than 32,000 public responses opposed the ballroom plan, calling it too large and inappropriate for the historic site, according to a review of comments submitted to planning agencies.Amid the backlash, former American Institute of Architects national president Kate Schwennsen said the design was so flawed that students who submitted similar work would likely fail academically.Trump’s supporters on the planning committee and MAGA base pushed the project forward, and the White House said the ballroom would be privately funded with donor money. Still, conservation groups filed legal challenges, arguing that proper review and congressional approval were bypassed.

White House response

White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt dismissed accusations that Trump’s ballroom design was “flawed.” She criticized the Times’ reporting in a post onShe added: “President Trump and his chief architects, who have built world-class buildings around the world, are ensuring that the People’s House finally has the beautiful ballroom it has needed for decades — at no cost to taxpayers.”