Treasury Staffers Get Warning as WH Ballroom Build Begins

The Treasury Department has directed its employees to avoid photographing or sharing images of construction at the White House's East Wing, following a wave of viral photos showing demolition for President Trump's planned $250 million ballroom. Treasury staff, whose offices neighbor the site, received an internal email warning them not to distribute images of the project without clearance from the Office of Public Affairs, per the Wall Street Journal. Neither the Treasury nor the White House responded to requests for comment regarding the directive.

The new ballroom, described by Trump as a long-awaited addition to the White House, is expected to exceed 90,000 square feet and seat upward of 650 guests—more than three times the capacity of the current East Room. The project, which Trump says will be funded through private donations, has already involved relocating historic trees and artifacts from the East Wing.

Trump has positioned the ballroom as part of his broader effort to leave a lasting mark on the White House, having previously overseen renovations to the Rose Garden, Oval Office, and other parts of the complex. The latest project has drawn criticism from some Democrats. "Seeing the White House torn apart is really emblematic of the times we're in," Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith wrote on social media on Monday, along with a clear photo of some of the demolition.

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White House communications director Steven Cheung dismissed the backlash, arguing that critics "need to stop their pearl clutching and understand the building needs to be modernized. Otherwise you're just living in the past." Trump, for his part, has portrayed the ballroom as fulfilling a historic need, claiming that every president for decades has desired such a space for state functions and large gatherings. "They've wanted a ballroom for 150 years, and I'm giving that honor to this wonderful place," he said Monday, per ABC News, which adds that, in July, Trump had insisted construction "won't interfere with the current building."