Analysis-The bulldozer and the ballroom: Trump puts permanent stamp on the White House

FILE PHOTO: The demolition of the East Wing of the White House, the location of U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed ballroom is seen from an elevated position on the North side of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 23, 2025. REUTERS/ Andrew Leyden/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -When President Donald Trump met with donors for his new ballroom at the White House earlier this month, he relayed a story that thrilled his real estate mogul heart.

"I said, 'How long will it take me?' 'Sir, you can start tonight, you have no approvals,'" Trump said on October 15, describing a conversation he'd had about the project. "I said, 'You gotta be kidding.' They said, 'Sir, this is the White House, you're the president of the United States, you can do anything you want.'"