The 90,000-square-foot ballroom, which the White House called a “much-needed and exquisite addition,” was initially planned to seat 650 people, but that has since been increased to more than 1,000.
The White House initially estimated the cost of the ballroom at $200 million, later raising the estimate to $400 million. But an internal project summary prepared by Clark Construction in March and obtained by The Washington Post put the cost of the broader East Wing project at $600 million, with more than half coming from taxpayers.
The White House has said Trump and other private donors would pay for the ballroom itself, and that taxpayer funds…
