The White House has seen its fair share of renovations and controversies over the years, but few projects have sparked as much heated debate as President Donald Trump’s new $300 million ballroom. The demolition of the historic East Wing to make way for this 90,000-square-foot addition has touched off a political firestorm, drawing sharp criticism from both sides of the aisle and igniting a spirited discussion about presidential priorities in a time of economic strain.
On October 26, 2025, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press to voice his concerns about the project. Gallego didn’t mince words, likening Trump’s decision to build the ballroom to the infamous aloofness of French royalty. “This is Marie Antoinette talking about ‘Let them eat cake’ while Americans are struggling right now,” Gallego declared, according to NBC. The senator’s analogy was pointed: just as Marie Antoinette was criticized for her indifference to the plight of ordinary citizens, Gallego accused Trump of focusing on a lavish personal project while Americans grapple with high inflation and soaring energy costs.
Host Kristen Welker pressed Gallego on whether he agreed with former Republican Congressman Joe Walsh’s call for any Democrat running for president in 2028 to pledge to demolish the ballroom and restore the East Wing. Walsh, a vocal Trump critic and recent Democrat, had made his stance clear on social media: “I will repeat this every single day for the next three years: Any Democrat running for president in 2028 must pledge to immediately tear down, bulldoze, demolish Trump’s ballroom and fully restore the East Wing and any other piece of the People’s House Trump has or will destroy.”
Gallego, however, offered a different approach. Rather than advocating for demolition, he suggested a move that would, in his words, “really mess with him.” Gallego proposed, “Just name it the Barack Obama Ballroom. And I think that will take care of half the problem.” This tongue-in-cheek proposal, reported by The Daily Beast, was designed to needle Trump, who has often clashed with his predecessor Barack Obama.
Gallego’s remarks didn’t stop at witty suggestions. He criticized the entire ballroom project as a distraction from the real issues facing the country. “Instead of him focusing on all these little projects, which aren’t really bringing anything to help any Americans,” Gallego said, “what I would like to do is to focus on this, to make sure that we can actually get costs down.” He emphasized that Americans are struggling to afford basic necessities, and accused Trump of being preoccupied with personal legacy rather than public service. “It is the people’s house,” Gallego insisted, “not a monument to one man’s ego.”
Gallego’s call for a shift in focus resonated with other critics. Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan echoed the idea of renaming the ballroom after Obama, telling former CNN anchor Jim Acosta, “I would say, ‘Vote for me. If I get elected to the White House, the first thing I will do is rename it the Barack Hussein Obama Ballroom.’ I would rename it after the person Trump hates the most. Because Jim, think about it: Once it’s built and he’s done it all, the thing that will kill him is his name coming off of it.” According to The Daily Beast, Hasan’s comments have found support among some Democrats eager to turn the controversial project into a symbol of resistance rather than erasure.
The White House, for its part, has remained mostly silent in the face of the uproar. When asked for comment about Gallego’s remarks on Sunday, the administration did not immediately respond, according to The Daily Beast. President Trump himself addressed the naming controversy on October 24, telling reporters that he had no intention of naming the ballroom after himself. “I don’t have any plan to call it after myself,” Trump said, as reported by ABC News. “That was fake news. Probably going to call it the presidential ballroom or something like that. We haven’t really thought about a name yet.”
Despite Trump’s public statements, behind the scenes, the project has already taken on his name. Senior administration officials told ABC News that some in the administration have begun referring to the addition as “The President Donald J. Trump Ballroom.” Furthermore, a list of donors released by the White House also referred to the new structure by that name. This apparent disconnect between Trump’s statements and the administration’s internal communications has only fueled speculation about the true intent behind the project.
The ballroom’s price tag and scale have also drawn scrutiny. At 90,000 square feet and costing $300 million, the addition is one of the most expensive and ambitious White House renovations in recent memory. Critics argue that such an expenditure is out of touch with the economic realities facing many Americans. Gallego was particularly vocal on this point, stating, “Inflation still high. People can’t buy what they need to buy. Energy still high. We have turf wars that are being caused because he feels icky and feels bad about someone talking bad about him in a commercial. And inflation is about to deliver 24 million Americans. And that’s what he cares about.”
Supporters of the project, though less vocal in recent days, have argued that presidents often leave their mark on the White House, citing past renovations and additions by leaders from both parties. However, the demolition of the East Wing—a part of the building with its own history and symbolism—has struck a nerve, especially among those who see the move as erasing a piece of American heritage for personal gain.
The debate has also highlighted broader tensions about the use of public funds, presidential legacy, and the symbolism of the White House itself. Is the president’s residence a living, evolving institution, or should it be preserved as a testament to history? For now, the answer seems to depend on one’s political perspective. While some Democrats and critics see the ballroom as a symbol of excess and distraction, others view it as just another chapter in the long saga of presidential renovations.
As the controversy unfolds, it’s clear that the new ballroom is more than just a construction project. It’s become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over leadership, priorities, and the meaning of the people’s house. Whether it remains the “President Donald J. Trump Ballroom,” is renamed in honor of Barack Obama, or faces demolition under a future administration, the addition has already left its mark on the nation’s political landscape—and perhaps, on its collective memory as well.
