New video shows just how massive Trump’s White House ballroom is

Newly released aerial footage shows the scale of President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project, captured from a helicopter as construction continues.The clip, shared on X by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino Jr., shows the massive frame of the structure adjacent to the White House complex. Scavino said the video was recorded from Marine One while Trump traveled to Joint Base Andrews for a flight to South Carolina.The project has faced legal and political opposition since work began. A federal judge ruled in August that Trump lacked the authority to demolish portions of the White House without congressional approval, raising questions about the future of the project. The National Trust for Historic Preservation previously filed a suit that temporarily paused above-ground construction, though work was permitted to continue on a six-story underground bunker replacing the Presidential Emergency Operations Center. The underground portion is set to include a military hospital and research facilities.The original East Wing of the White House was demolished in October 2025 to make way for the 90,000-square-foot facility, proceeding without congressional authorization.New aerial video captured from a helicopter offers a clear look at the scale of President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom expansion as construction proceeds on the site (AFP/Getty)Initial estimates in February 2025 placed the cost of the project at $100 million. The figure later rose to $250 million and has since grown to $600 million. Trump has consistently defended the initiative, arguing it will offer a secure location for state visits, official ceremonies and inaugurations. The design also features a drone port intended as a defense mechanism.Details about how the project is being funded were revealed in leaked internal campaign records obtained by The Washington Post, which show $333 million in private gifts across 67 major pledges. Major corporate backers include Nvidia and Apple, which pledged $25 million each, as well as $5 million commitments from companies such as Amazon, Microsoft and T-Mobile. Political allies and administration members also contributed, though Trump himself is absent from the donor list despite past claims that he was financing the build directly.Leaked internal documents reveal major tech giants and corporate backers have pledged hundreds of millions to fund the controversial construction (Getty)The funds are collected through a D.C.-based non-profit, the Trust for the National Mall, before being transferred into a White House account. This structure allows the project to avoid standard campaign disclosure rules, with at least $77 million coming from anonymous donors — a setup that has drawn criticism from ethics experts and Democratic lawmakers.The documents also show that several major pledges coincided with favorable agency decisions or federal contract awards, including a $25 million pledge from Dish Network chairman Charles Ergen before the FCC dropped an inquiry into his firm, and a $3 million pledge from Salesforce around the time it secured a multi-billion-dollar Army deal.“This is a shield that protects everything that’s inside, everything that’s on top,” Trump told reporters near the site in May, adding that it would be the “safest building ever built, in my opinion.”Trump has defended the massive 90,000-square-foot build as a vital high-security venue featuring a custom defense shield and drone port (Getty)Earlier this month, Trump visited the site with White House communications adviser Margo Martin.“President @realDonaldTrump checks on the progress of the White House Ballroom construction,” Martin wrote on X with video of the inspection.Following the helicopter flight shown in the new video, Trump attended a campaign rally at Clemson University in South Carolina on Wednesday that was repeatedly interrupted by demonstrators. The event turned violent after a protester was struck by an attendee.The $600 million project has faced legal challenges and political opposition after expanding far beyond its original scope and replacing the White House East Wing (Getty)Trump reacted to the incident from the stage, as reported by The Guardian: “That was great, man. Wow. Man, I loved that. I watched that. That was incredible. Wow. That was unbelievable. Is everybody OK? “Who’s the guy that threw that punch?” he continued. “You know, you reminded me of Evander, the real deal, Holyfield.” Former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield was in attendance at the rally.“You gotta give them credit,” Trump said. “It takes courage to do that at a Trump rally. He got whacked.”