President Donald Trump has unveiled plans to build a new $200 million ballroom at the White House, marking a major addition to the historic building and fulfilling a personal dream he has voiced for years.

The construction, set to begin in September, will be funded entirely through donations from Trump and unnamed contributors, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

The ballroom will be built alongside a revamped East Wing, which currently houses the office of First Lady Melania Trump and other key staff.

According to Leavitt, the new facility will span about 90,000 square feet and accommodate around 650 guests—more than triple the capacity of the current East Room, which holds about 200.

“For years, the White House has had to rely on temporary tents on the South Lawn for larger events,” Leavitt said during a Thursday press briefing. “This ballroom will end the need for those large and unsightly tents, especially during state functions with world leaders.”

Renderings released by the White House reveal a design in harmony with the rest of the historic building, complete with ornate columns and crystal chandeliers.

The plan includes a modernised East Wing façade, and the temporary relocation of offices currently housed there during the construction period.

Trump, speaking at the White House on Thursday, said: “There’s never been a President that’s good at ballrooms. I’m good at building things. They’ve always had to get tents. It’s not a pretty sight.”

Trump has long expressed interest in building a ballroom at the White House. During Barack Obama's administration in 2016, he offered to donate $100 million for the project, an offer that was turned down.

In a separate appearance this week, Trump mentioned the new project to European Council President Ursula Von der Leyen, saying, “We’re building a great ballroom at the White House.”

He added that he could "drop" the ballroom from his Turnberry golf resort into Washington and it would look “beautiful.”

Chief of Staff Susie Wiles noted the commitment to preserving the legacy of the White House while accommodating modern needs.

“The President and the Trump White House are fully committed to working with the appropriate organisations to preserving the special history of the White House, while building a beautiful ballroom that can be enjoyed by future administrations and generations of Americans to come,” she said.

Leslie Greene Bowman, a member of the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, said she hoped the project would respect the structure’s legacy. “They are precious vessels of our legacy as a democracy,” she told the BBC.

The project is expected to be completed well before the end of Trump’s term in January 2029.