So now we need a Ballroom?

Many presidents have noted the limitations of the White House when it comes to hosting large events. Here are a few notable examples:

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Thomas JeffersonSought to expand the White House, citing its limited space for entertaining.
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Franklin D. RooseveltEmphasized the need for more functional space for large gatherings.


John F. KennedyAcknowledged the challenges in hosting large events, often seeking alternative venues.


Bill ClintonCritiqued the White House's facilities, especially for formal dinners.
 
Damocles said:
Folks have been saying they needed a large entertainment venue, Trump is providing.

The Clintons would have loved it, they used to put up tents on the lawn so they could have larger events.
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No they haven’t, 45 prior Presidents never even remotely expressed the need

And the Rose Garden has worked fine, well, until Trump covered it with concrete, truth probably is Trump hated outsider venues cause with DC it often get humid and he can’t wear his oversized thousand dollar suits nor control its effects on his comb over
 
archives said:
No they haven’t, 45 prior Presidents never even remotely expressed the need
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President Harry S. Truman explicitly complained about the limitations of the White House for entertaining, a problem so severe it ultimately led to a major reconstruction of the building. Other presidents, including John F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter, also contended with how the structure's physical constraints and ingrained traditions affected their ability to host.

Poor Anchovies.
 
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BartenderElite said:
Did the tents cost anything close to $250M?
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What does that matter? The taxpayers aren't paying for the ballroom, are they?

But since you asked, the East Room seated only about 200 people). For larger gatherings, such as state dinners honoring foreign leaders, the White House has historically relied on temporary structures like elaborate tents on the South Lawn, complete with flooring, lighting, chandeliers, and covered walkways for guest movement.

These setups are often described as "unsightly" and logistically challenging, especially in bad weather.

Publicly available data on exact costs is limited, as White House operational expenses (including event setups) are not always itemized in detail due to security and protocol sensitivities. However, reliable reporting indicates that each such tent installation typically costs $1 million or more, excluding ancillary expenses like catering, security enhancements, floral arrangements, or transportation. This figure aligns with descriptions of "large-scale events" from multiple sources.

  • The White House hosts approximately 2–4 major state dinners or similar large events per year that require tents (e.g., for 400+ guests). This has been a common practice across administrations, from Woodrow Wilson (who used garden tents in 1914) to recent examples like the 2009 India state dinner and the 2022 Macron dinner under Biden.
  • Per-Event Cost: $1,000,000+ for the tent and basic infrastructure (e.g., walkways, heating/cooling).
  • Timeframe: Over the past 25 years (2000–2025), roughly 50–100 such events have occurred, based on historical records of state visits.
  • Cumulative Estimate: $50–100 million in total for temporary structures alone. This is a conservative range; actual figures could be higher when including "etc." (e.g., custom décor, AV systems, or repairs to lawns post-event, which add 20–50% per setup).
 
Diogenes said:
Is that so? Citations required.



No, I mean like what I said.



Didn't they?



So you
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And from a conservative cite:
https://www.economist.com/interactive/trump-approval-tracker

Which is incomparable from attempting to getting humorous fired

You didn’t see one prior now have you

Only a narcissistic with the power would initiate his own parade, ballroom, memorial, and that is all within even completing his first year in office
 
Diogenes said:
Many presidents have noted the limitations of the White House when it comes to hosting large events. Here are a few notable examples:

​

Thomas JeffersonSought to expand the White House, citing its limited space for entertaining.
​

​

​

Franklin D. RooseveltEmphasized the need for more functional space for large gatherings.


John F. KennedyAcknowledged the challenges in hosting large events, often seeking alternative venues.


Bill ClintonCritiqued the White House's facilities, especially for formal dinners.
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And yet none of them, nor the other 41, never thought it important or necessary enough to do anything to initiate it
 
archives said:
No the Qatar Jet still tops the list
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Why?

In May 2025, the government of Qatar donated a luxury Boeing 747-8 jet (valued at approximately $400 million) to the U.S. Department of War.
The plane was accepted by the Pentagon in late May 2025 and is undergoing a multi-year security overhaul at a facility in San Antonio, Texas, with upgrades beginning in September 2025.

The intent is to use it temporarily as a third Air Force One aircraft to supplement the aging fleet while new Boeing jets are delivered.

President Trump has publicly praised the donation as a "very nice gesture" and a cost-saving measure for taxpayers.

It was a government-to-government transfer rather than a personal gift.

The donation complied with all laws:
  • It is structured as a transfer from Qatar's Ministry of Defense to the U.S. Department of Defense, qualifying as an official government asset rather than a personal gift.
  • A May 2025 memo from Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Counsel David Warrington deemed it "legally permissible," citing precedents for foreign military donations (e.g., equipment from allies during alliances).
  • The Pentagon confirmed acceptance on May 21, 2025, stating it followed "all federal rules and regulations," with full transparency promised.
Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani echoed this in May 2025, calling it a "mutually beneficial" government transaction.
 
TOP said:
They didn't want to fund it....
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Neither would I, but the donors (including POTUS) solved the problem.

Tents have been used by presidents of both parties, underscoring a bipartisan acknowledgment of the East Wing/East Room's limitations for diplomacy. For comparison, the ballroom's one-time cost exceeds the estimated tent expenses but provides a reusable venue seating 650–900.

It saves long-term costs and enhances dignity for events.
 
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Diogenes said:
Neither would I, but the donors (including POTUS) solved the problem.

Tents have been used by presidents of both parties, underscoring a bipartisan acknowledgment of the East Wing/East Room's limitations for diplomacy. For comparison, the ballroom's one-time cost exceeds the estimated tent expenses but provides a reusable venue seating 650–900.

It saves long-term costs and enhances dignity for events.
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Exactly ...
 
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