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On Wednesday, President Trump hosted a gathering at the White House to acknowledge and express gratitude towards donors who are contributing to the construction of a new ballroom. This exclusive dinner, held in the East Room, featured an impressive roster of attendees, including top executives from renowned companies such as Microsoft, Google, and Palantir. Prominent business figures like Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman and the entrepreneurial twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss were also in attendance.
During the event, Trump praised the attendees, emphasizing their significant contributions. “We have a lot of legends in the room tonight,” he remarked. “That’s why we’re here to celebrate you, because you have given tremendous amounts of money to make the White House’s first ballroom a reality.”
In a moment designed to showcase the future site of the ballroom, the president dramatically drew back the curtains in the East Room, revealing the designated area for the construction. Trump noted the historic nature of the project, stating, “The White House, for over 150 years, has wanted a ballroom, but it never happened because they didn’t have a real estate person.”
The president at one point opened the curtains in the East Room to display the view of where the ballroom will be constructed.
“The White House for 150 years-plus, they wanted to have a ballroom, and it never happened because they didn’t have a real estate person,” Trump said.
The Wall Street Journal first reported on the list of attendees for the dinner.
The White House in August announced plans for a $200 million ballroom adjacent to the East Wing. The space is expected to have a seated capacity of 650 people and would host State Dinners and other major events. White House officials have said the cost will be covered by donations, rather than taxpayers.
Construction of the ballroom is one of the numerous projects undertaken by Trump at the White House. He has paved over the Rose Garden grass, redecorated the Oval Office, and shared renderings for a potential arch to be built near Arlington National Cemetery.