Politics'He Just Wants the Ballroom': Trump Biographer Says President's $400 Million 'Vanity Project' Has Nothing to Do With National Security
Michael Wolff took shots at Donald Trump's $400 million ballroom project.
Aug. 9 2026, Published 10:02 a.m. ET
Donald Trump has been touting his $400 million White House ballroom "vanity project" for months.
However, his biographer Michael Wolff believes the endeavor is not really for national security, and is really just to stroke the POTUS' ego.
Donald Trump Slammed an Appeals Court's Ruling to Block the White House Ballroom Construction
Michael Wolff said Donald Trump only wants his ballroom for 'big audiences.'
"He just wants the ballroom and is trying to say, ‘Well, if there’s this and there’s this and there’s this, it’s not just the ballroom,’” Wolff told Inside Trump’s Head co-host Joanna Coles.
“But Trump just wants the ballroom," the journalist, 72, added.
On Friday, August 7, the president, 80, went on a fiery Truth Social tirade after an appellate court hindered the room's construction and building plans are now on hold for the time being.
Donald Trump Called the Judgment 'Unlawful'
Donald Trump's 90,000-square-foot ballroom is expected to be covered in gold.
Trump slammed the ruling as “horrendous, politically motivated, and unlawful,” and labeled it “a National Security threat to our Nation in that the entire Complex is being built for the protection of our Country and, additionally, all future Presidents.”
The 90,000-square-foot ballroom is anticipated to be covered in gold and will feature medical amenities, as well as a bunker area. It is expected to have a seated capacity of 650 people, which is an increase from the 200-person seated capacity in the White House's East Room.
Wolff also noted the bunker is just Trump “adding on these things as justifications for the ballroom.”
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Michael Wolff Said Donald Trump Wants His Ballroom to Host 'Big Audiences'
The author believes the White House ballroom is 'not about national security.'
“He wants the ballroom because he wants, you know, big audiences. Essentially what he’s creating is a venue. That’s what he wants. He likes big events. He likes big audiences. The bigger the better,” the Fire and Fury author went on.
“The more people, the more opportunities for Donald Trump to appear before an audience. So this is not about national security. This is about Donald Trump," Wolff blasted.
Trump first announced his ballroom venture in July 2025 and alleged previous presidents desired for White House assembly hall for more than a 100 years because they needed space to host grand events.
The White House Ballroom Was Announced in July 2025
The ballroom's construction has been halted for the time being.
“They’ve wanted a ballroom at the White House for more than 150 years, but there’s never been a president that was good at ballrooms. I’m really good,” the businessman claimed at the time. “In the first term, I said, you know, ‘If I get another shot at this, I’m going to do a ballroom.’”
“I always said I was going to do something about the ballroom because they should have one,” Trump continued. “It’ll be a great legacy project, and I think it’ll be special.”
