President Donald Trump welcomed approximately 130 wealthy donors, corporate executives, and political allies to a candlelit “Legacy Dinner” in the White House East Room on October 15, thanking them for their financial support of his ambitious $250 million ballroom construction project.
This dinner occurred during an active government shutdown that began October 1, and is in its 16th day on October 15.
The exclusive gathering featured representatives from some of the nation’s most powerful corporations, many of which hold lucrative federal contracts or have pending business before the government. The guest list included executives from Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Palantir Technologies, Lockheed Martin, T-Mobile, Comcast, and Booz Allen Hamilton.
Notable attendees also included oil magnate Harold Hamm, Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman, former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, cryptocurrency entrepreneurs Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss of Gemini exchange, and representatives from the cryptocurrency firms Coinbase, Ripple, and Tether. Trump campaign figures Chris LaCivita, Jason Miller, and Small Business Administration head Kelly Loeffler and her spouse Jeff Sprecher were also present.
Speaking to the crowd of donors dressed in business suits and cocktail attire, Trump revealed that the ballroom project is now “fully financed” and expressed gratitude for the substantial contributions. “So many of you have been really, really generous,” he said. “A couple of you are sitting here, saying, ‘Sir, would $25 million be appropriate?’ I said, ‘I’ll take it.'”
The president, who frequently refers to himself as a real estate developer, told attendees that the White House had wanted a ballroom “for 150 years plus” but “it never happened because they never had a real estate person.”
The 90,000-square-foot ballroom, set to be constructed near the East Wing, is the most significant expansion of the White House in decades. According to Trump, the facility will accommodate up to 999 guests and feature bulletproof glass on all four walls. Current designs showcase opulent gold and crystal chandeliers, Corinthian columns, a coffered ceiling with gold accents, gold floor lamps, and a checkered marble floor.
Trump promised donors they would be among the first to experience the completed ballroom. “When we open up, you’ll be among the first groups,” he said.
In addition to celebrating the ballroom, Trump unveiled plans for another ambitious project: a triumphal arch he calls the “Independence Arch” to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. The president displayed three differently sized models to dinner guests, stating, “I happen to think the large looks by far the best.”
The arch, which bears aesthetic similarities to Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, would be constructed at Memorial Circle in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial. Designs show a white stone arch crowned with eagle statues and a golden winged figure resembling Lady Liberty.
When CBS News reporter Ed O’Keefe asked Trump who the arch is for, the president pointed to himself and replied: “Me.”
The ballroom project represents the centerpiece of Trump’s extensive White House renovation efforts since returning to office. He has gilded the Oval Office with gold leaf accents, commissioned from a craftsman in Florida who previously worked on his Mar-a-Lago estate. The gold additions include tiny cherubs above doorways, extensive wall and ceiling embellishments, and gold-trimmed details throughout.
Trump also transformed the Rose Garden by removing grass and replacing it with stone paving to resemble the outdoor patio at Mar-a-Lago, complete with a Bang & Olufsen sound system and drainage grates designed to resemble American flags. He has installed new marble floors in the Lincoln Bedroom washroom, hung art and mirrors throughout the residence, and erected massive new flagpoles on the grounds.
Trump told attendees at Wednesday’s dinner that the ballroom construction process has been simplified by his position. “How long will it take me?” Trump asked. “Sir, you can start tonight, you have no approvals.” he recounted. “You gotta be kidding,” Trump said. “Sir, this is the White House, you’re the President of the United States, you can do anything you want,” Trump said.
