James McCrery II has apparently clashed with the president over his plans
The president has reportedly clashed with the architect tasked with designing the hefty White House ballroom.
In August this year, it was announced the East Wing of the president’s HQ would be ‘modernized’ to include an ornate 90,000 square foot ballroom. The White House said the new space would be capable of hosting up to 650 people at a time with hopes it will be constructed by 2029. It also comes at quite a pretty penny at an eye-watering cost of around $300 million.
However, while Donald Trump says he will personally pay for the renovation, he has apparently had a bit of a spat with the architect.
Taking to his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote: “The Presidential Ballroom, which I am building at the White House, with all private donations and funding (ZERO cost to the American Taxpayer!), will be, at its completion, the most beautiful and spectacular Ballroom anywhere in the World!
“It is something that has been needed and desired at the White House for over 150 years, but something which no other President was equipped to do — But I am, and as long as we are going to do it, we are going to do it RIGHT.
The president has apparently clashed with the architect over the project (Pete Marovich/Getty Images)
“It will be a magnificent addition to the White House, the most important since the building of the West Wing!”
His thinly veiled comment about a possible rift over the plans comes as sources told the Wall Street Journal that Trump and architect James McCrery II, whom the 79-year-old handpicked himself to design the ballroom, have struggled to come to an agreement.
Despite initial claims the new ballroom wouldn’t interfere with the White House, the East Wing came tumbling down in October to make way for Trump’s vision.
McCrery allegedly told Trump one of the ‘golden rules’ of architecture is that any addition should not come at the expense of the rest of the building by overwhelming it.
Yet Trump’s plans have seen the initial 500-seat ballroom expand to 999 to now 1,350 guests, with space to potentially hold a presidential inauguration.
Plans for the ballroom have apparently evolved (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
According to The Mirror US, a White House official acknowledged the pair have failed to see eye-to-eye on some issues related to the ballroom but said it was all ‘constructive dialogue.’
“As with any building, there is a conversation between the principal and the architect,” an anonymous official reportedly said.
“All parties are excited to execute on the president’s vision on what will be the greatest addition to the White House since the Oval Office.”
While McCrery has since stepped down from the project, he continues in an advisory role to support the plans.
The White House told UNILAD: “McCrery has been and continues to be a consultant on the Ballroom project. As with any building, there is a conversation between the principal and the architect. All parties are excited to execute on the President’s vision on what will be the greatest addition to the WH since the Oval Office.”
