A New York Times interactive feature published Sunday takes an in-depth look at President Donald Trump’s proposed White House ballroom ahead of a critical federal vote Thursday — with architects warning the project’s rushed timeline has left serious design flaws unaddressed that could permanently alter the nation’s most iconic address.

Newsweek reached out to the White House via email on Sunday for comment.

Why It Matters

Trump has directed a number of major renovation projects since the beginning of his second term, in moves which have at times proved controversial, and marked some of the most major alterations to the White House in recent years, the fundamentals of which have remained largely unchanged since the 1948-52 reconstruction under President Harry Truman.

The ballroom would become a lasting fixture at the symbolic heart of American democracy, anchoring the end of Pennsylvania Avenue — the corridor Pierre Charles L’Enfant designed to connect the White House and the Capitol. The Times reports the design has received far less public scrutiny than even routine changes to the White House complex have historically required, with architects warning the consequences will be permanent.

What To Know

The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) is scheduled Thursday to cast a final vote on the 90,000-square-foot East Wing addition, which was only publicly unveiled in January. Last month, the Commission of Fine Arts discussed and unanimously approved the ballroom in just 12 minutes. The Times notes the White House fence replacement during Trump’s first term, by contrast, received nine months of public commission review.

The Times’ architectural analysis highlights several key design concerns:

The ballroom is more than three times the cubic volume of the West Wing, making it the visually dominant structure of the complex when viewed from the south.A south-facing portico — larger than that of the White House residence — was acknowledged by project architect Shalom Baranes as “more ornamental than functional” and contains no doors leading into the ballroom.Columns along the portico will block interior views and natural daylight.Faux windows on the north-facing wall — the side most visible to tourists — conceal a row of bathroom stalls.The addition disrupts the historic Frederick Law Olmsted-designed White House driveway and impedes L’Enfant’s planned sightline between the White House and Capitol.The ballroom is sized for 1,500 guests by industry standards, despite being designed for 1,000 — meaning smaller events could feel empty.

The NCPC is combining its preliminary and final reviews into a single vote, a procedural shortcut the Times notes is typically reserved for minor projects like antenna replacements. Before a federal judge intervened in December, the administration had appeared set to bypass both commissions entirely.

What Other Changes Has Trump Made?

The president redesigned the previously minimalist Oval Office, in what marked some of the most significant changes to the room’s appearance in modern presidential history, and then also paved over the iconic White House Rose Garden, renovations which saw the lawn entirely replaced with a white, concrete patio featuring diamond-shaped plates.

But one of the most significant projects has been the ballroom.

The project was officially announced in August of 2025, with the White House confirming that construction was set to begin on a new 90,000 square feet state ballroom at the president’s official residence, a project that Trump has spent years pushing for. Backlash to the project came in October, after the East Wing was suddenly demolished to make space for the ballroom.

What People Are Saying

President Donald Trump, in a post on Truth Social on February 10: “When completed, it will be the finest ballroom ever built anywhere in the world, one that has been sought by presidents for over 150 years—and now they are getting THE BEST! Because of its unprecedented structural, safety, and security features, it will also be used for future Presidential Inaugurations.”

David Scott Parker, architect and National Trust for Historic Preservation board member: “The ballroom is literally an imposition between two branches of our government.”

Tommy Landen, a New York-based interior designer and influencer, told Newsweek in August: “I think the message he’s trying to send is one of power, wealth, and excess. But it looks cheap. It almost makes him seem smaller for doing all of this to try to send a message that isn’t landing for anyone.”

Carol Quillen, National Trust for Historic Preservation president and CEO: “Even if we are slow and we make mistakes and we fight, that process has meaning to us. No project belonging to the public should be the vision of just one man.”

Will Scharf, NCPC chair and White House staff secretary: “If not for President Trump, his desire to move quickly, and his raising the money to fund this, a project like this could languish for years with no decision or action.”

Davis Ingle, White House spokesman: “President Trump is the best builder and developer in the entire world, and the American people can rest well knowing that this project is in his hands.”

Phil Mendelson, D.C. Council chairman and NCPC member: “This is the People’s House — this is not Donald Trump’s, or Joe Biden’s, or the next president’s. I still don’t understand why the ceiling height has to be 40 feet.”

What Happens Next

Thursday’s NCPC vote is expected to clear the project’s final regulatory hurdle.

Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.