Melania Trump's Absence Looms Large as the White House Undergoes $200M Ballroom Makeover

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President Donald Trump has long complained about the accommodations at the White House, so he’s getting his wish with a major addition. But what people aren’t talking about enough is that the construction completely displaces First Lady Melania Trump and her staff for a significant amount of time.

On July 31, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that the administration would be adding a $200 million ballroom paid for by the president and anonymous donors. “We are proud to announce that the construction of the new White House ballroom will begin. For 150 years, presidents, administrations, and White House staff have longed for a large event space on the White House complex that can hold substantially more guests than currently allowed,” Leavitt said in the press room. 

“The White House is one of the most beautiful and historic buildings in the world, yet the White House is currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders in other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building’s entrance,” she added. 

The construction is expected to begin in September, and Leavitt promised that the work will be completed before Donald Trump ends his term in January 2029. While the Daily Beast noted that Melania’s offices will be “temporarily” relocated, her notable absence is felt. She has been “opting to spend her time in New York or Florida and only showing up for a select few White House events.”

In November 2024, after Donald Trump won the election, political insiders believed Melania was going to take a relatively hands-off approach to the first lady office for Donald Trump’s second administration. “She has carte blanche – she can be as active in the East Wing or as inactive as she cares to be,” Kate Bennett, author of Free, Melania, told CNN. 

Kate Andersen Brower, the author of First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies, shared similar thoughts to The New York Times in July 2023. “She’s the most obviously unknowable first lady,” she explained. “First ladies are expected to want to please people, and I’m not sure she really cares.”

So, Melania’s temporary relocation probably won’t be an issue for her while the ballroom gets built. She prefers to spend time with her son, Barron, 19, at Trump Tower while he’s attending New York University. She also knows that the American public really isn’t anticipating her at every political event — she set the precedent for that years ago.

“I’m not anxious because this time is different. I have much more experience and much more knowledge. I was in the White House before,” she said confidently to Fox News in October 2024. When you go in, you know exactly what to expect.”

Let the construction begin because Melania will likely be unbothered by the office displacement situation.

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