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Melania Trump welcomes Christmas tree to the White House
The 25-foot concolor fir from Korson's Tree Farms won the National Christmas Tree Association's 2025 Grand Champion title and will be displayed in the White House Blue Room.
- On Aug. 5, 2025, President Donald Trump pushed to enlarge the White House ballroom beyond the planned 90,000-square-foot expansion, clashing with James McCrery II, architect, over the design scale.
- Funded by private contributors, the project is projected to cost $300 million with a donor list of 37 businesses including Amazon, Lockheed Martin and Palantir Technologies, though officials admit it is not comprehensive.
- Its seating plan now calls for 900 seats, a 40 percent rise from the original 650, and James McCrery II warned the 90,000-square-foot addition may minimize the 55,000-square-foot White House residence.
- Democrats and historic preservationists, along with a Virginia couple suing to halt demolition, face opposition from an October poll showing 56 percent oppose and 28 percent support the ballroom.
- As of Tuesday, formal plans had not been submitted to the National Capital Planning Commission, and the Dec. 4 commission meeting agenda omits the ballroom project for the next six months.
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187 Articles
Donald Trump and architect James McCrery argue about the size of a new ballroom. Trump's vision could surpass the White House. The plans are controversial.
Donald Trump and architect James McCrery argue about the size of a new ballroom. Trump's vision could surpass the White House. The plans are controversial.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources187
Leaning Left33Leaning Right22Center76Last UpdatedBias Distribution58% Center
Bias Distribution
- 58% of the sources are Center
58% Center
L 25%
C 58%
R 17%
Factuality
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