President Donald Trump has started building a large ballroom at the White House. The new ballroom will replace the East Wing, which was recently torn down. The 90,000 square feet ballroom is the size of a football field and can hold up to a thousand guests. The project will probably cost about $300 million, but Trump says private donors, including himself, will pay for it.
The offices of the First Lady, the White House Visitor’s Office and others were located in the building. Many organizations have criticized the demolition of the building, saying it’s part of history. Trump’s team, however, claims they didn’t need special permission to tear it down.
At first, the President said the old building would stay. Later, he changed his mind, saying it had to be removed in order to make the new ballroom safer. The new construction will have bulletproof windows and modern security features.
Supporters of the project say that the White House needs more room to host big events. Critics say it looks too much like Trump’s private resorts and doesn’t fit the style of the historic building.
The new ballroom is expected to be finished before Trump’s second term ends in 2029.
The East Wing of the White House
Image: Jack Boucher, Public domain,
via Wikimedia Commons
Words
- bulletproof = to stop bullets from going through
- claim = to say that something is true
- construction = building
- demolition = the complete destruction of a building
- donor = a person who gives money for a project
- host = organize
- however = but
- located = to be found
- permission = to be allowed to do something
- recently = a short time ago
- remove = here: tear down
- replace = to put something else there
- resort = a special place to stay, especially for holidays
- security = safety
- term = the four years in which you are president