More than half of Americans are not happy about Donald Trump’s plan to tear down part of the White House and build a massive new ballroom in its place. A new poll from the Washington Post and Ipsos finds that 56 percent of people surveyed disapprove of the project, while only 28 percent support it.
The rest say they are unsure. The poll was conducted from October 24 to 28 and included a mix of voters. Most respondents were white, with about one-third saying they voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 election and another third saying they voted for Kamala Harris.
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Even among MAGA voters, reactions are not entirely unified. While many of Trump’s most loyal supporters still back his vision for a grand new ballroom, others say the plan feels unnecessary and out of touch.
By October 24, the East Wing had already been reduced to rubble. For more than a century, this part of the White House served as the working space for the first lady and her staff. It is now being cleared to make room for a new ballroom that Trump says will be funded by his own money and private donations totaling around 300 million dollars.
The East Wing has a long history. It was originally called the East Terrace when it was built in 1902 under President Theodore Roosevelt. In 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt expanded it to include extra offices during World War II and to hide an underground bunker built for security purposes.
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Tearing it down marks a clear shift from what Trump promised earlier this year. Back in July, he told reporters that no part of the White House would be demolished during construction of the ballroom. “It will be beautiful. It won’t interfere with the current building. It won’t be – it will be near it, but not touching it. And pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of. It’s my favorite,” Trump said at the time.
According to Trump, the new ballroom will be enormous at about 90,000 square feet, nearly twice the size of the White House itself. He says it will be able to host up to a thousand guests for events and ceremonies. The White House has stated that construction is expected to be completed well before Trump’s term ends in January 2029.
The poll’s findings echo another survey from Yahoo and YouGov released earlier this week that found 61 percent of Americans also oppose Trump’s ballroom plan, while only 25 percent support it. Among MAGA voters, support remains higher than average, but not universal, suggesting some fatigue with the scale of Trump’s latest project.
Public reaction has been strong. Many Americans are upset about losing a part of the White House with deep historical meaning. Elaine Kamarck, who worked in the building from 1993 to 1997, said the project is “an abomination.” She added, “It’s typical Trump and it’s going to look awful. They’re knocking down the entire East Wing of the White House. It’s not the end of the world but it’s just one more reason that Americans are getting sick of King Trump.”
As construction continues, the debate keeps growing. Even within MAGA circles, there is a split between those who see the ballroom as a symbol of Trump’s bold style and those who think it goes too far. The larger question of whether this project represents progress or disrespect for history shows no sign of fading anytime soon.