PoliticsDonald Trump Reveals What He Said to Melania on Their 'First Night' in the White House as He Holds Dinner for Donors of $200 Million Ballroom
Donald Trump called the White House 'a special place.'
Oct. 16 2025, Updated 1:36 p.m. ET
Donald Trump reminisced on his very first night in the White House while holding a fundraiser in the East Room on Wednesday, October 15.
"To me, there’s nothing like the White House," the president told his guests, which included business moguls and plenty of wealthy individuals who donated to fund the $200 million ballroom construction.
Donald Trump Recalls His First Night in the White House
Donald Trump remembered marveling at the Lincoln Bedroom on his first night in the White House.
"After I won, the first night, I went up and I’m standing in the residential hallway with Melania and I’m looking into the Lincoln Bedroom," the father-of-five shared of what happened after the 2016 election. "I say, ‘That was a surreal experience.’ I’m saying, ‘Do you believe this? We’re in the White House and that’s the Lincoln Bedroom!'"
"It takes a while to get [used to it]. I’m still not, probably, used to it. It’s just a special place, what can I say," he raved. "So we have to take care of it."
The President Thanks Those Who Donated to Ballroom Construction
The president gave a speech when he held a dinner for those who donated to the White House's ballroom construction.
When talking about the construction going on, he stated, "We have a lot of legends in the room tonight, and that’s why we’re here, to celebrate you, because you’ve given tremendous amounts of money to see a ballroom built for the first time at the White House."
"The American presidents need to be able to showcase our country," he explained of why he's having the space created, calling the project a "really historic effort."
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The new ballroom will be 90,000 square feet.
"You’ve been so generous in your contributions. Very substantial money, fully financed. It’s fully taken care of now," the POTUS declared. "For all those years, they wanted it, and now they’re going to get it, and because of you, they’re going to get it — and me too. We’re all in this together."
Construction is estimated to be completed next year.
Details on the Pricey New Ballroom
Melania Trump's office had to be relocated due to the ballroom construction.
As OK! reported, the new venue is slated to be 90,000 square feet and will hold 650 guests.
"The White House Ballroom will be substantially separated from the main building of the White House, but at the same time, its theme and architectural heritage will be almost identical," a press release stated. "The site of the new ballroom will be where the small, heavily changed, and reconstructed East Wing currently sits."
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the room a "much-needed and exquisite addition."
Since the first lady and her staff have their offices in the East Wing, they were relocated when construction started.
