October 31, 2025/Midnight

Erie, PA. — This past July, President Donald Trump announced his plans to renovate a section of the White House to build a ballroom.

According to The Washington Examiner, the ballroom, planned to be 90,000 feet and very lavish, would completely replace the White House’s East Wing. The ballroom is expected to hold around 999 people. In a post on Truth Social, President Trump wrote, “For more than 150 years, every President has dreamt about having a Ballroom at the White House to accommodate people for grand parties, State visits, etc. I am honored to be the first President to finally get this much-needed project underway.” The renovation plans have divided much of the Internet, with many saying that a ballroom is unnecessary and condemning the demolition of the East Wing, while others welcome the idea of a place in the White House for better accommodating guests. But this isn’t the first time the White House has gone through renovations.

The plans for the White House were first laid out in 1791 by George Washington, originally placed along the Potomac River. According to History, “The neoclassical mansion was designed by Irish-born architect James Hoban and originally built by enslaved laborers from 1792 to 1800.” President John Adams and First Lady Abigail Adams would be the first to live in the White House, which was still under construction at the time.

During the War of 1812, British troops would set fire to the White House, resulting in it being completely burnt down. The president at the time, James Madison, was moved into a temporary residence. According to the Architectural Digest, “Hoban would oversee the reconstruction, which was completed in 1817. Working with architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe, Hoban would later add the now famous South and North Porticos in 1824 and 1829, respectively.”

In 1901, according to History, “When Theodore Roosevelt became president in 1901, he and first lady Edith Roosevelt had six young children, but the residential quarters of the White House didn’t accommodate such a large family. Architect Charles McKim recommended a full-scale renovation that would both enlarge the private areas of the White House and separate them from diplomatic and office spaces.”

Also during Roosevelt’s presidency was the addition of the West Wing. It was originally its own building which could be accessed by a walkway. “Originally called the Temporary Executive Office, the one-story structure housed the offices of the presidential staff and secretaries, and a dedicated meeting room for the Cabinet.” In 1909, President William Howard Taft would remodel and expand the West Wing, creating the Oval Office.

In 1942, the East Wing was added, originally as a bunker for the president and his staff, in case of an attack during World War II.

During Calvin Coolidge’s presidency, he received a report that the White House roof was weakening and at risk of collapsing. “Not only were the trusses old, but they were being weighed down by an overstuffed attic. Over decades, the attic had become a repository for tons of paper records and discarded machinery.” Congress would help fund the fixes with $375,000, which led to a new attic and roof. They also added a third floor, which held lavish offices for staff.

On December 24, 1929, faulty wiring would ignite old documents that had been stored in the attic, leading to the White House press room being badly damaged and the attic and roof needing to be replaced.

During Harry Truman’s presidency in 1945, the White House underwent a complete renovation. “Truman’s architects made the bold decision to gut the entire building, leaving only the exterior walls. The Trumans moved across the street to the Blair House, where they lived from 1948 to 1952 while the White House was demolished and rebuilt. During the Truman renovation, The White House received a new, 22-feet deep foundation, interior made from sturdy steel frames and solid concrete floors. The new White House expanded from 48 rooms to 54, and boasted two new sub-basements. President Truman gave a televised tour of the fully renovated White House in 1952.”

Of course, it should be noted that the White House has undergone smaller renovations, such as when First Lady Rosalynn Carter added the Office of The First Lady in the East Wing.

As of recent, the East Wing of the White House is currently undergoing demolition to make way for the ballroom.