Trump says White House ballroom expansion is privately funded: "not 1 penny of tax"

President Donald J. Trump described ongoing construction for a new ballroom tied to the White House and said the project is being paid for entirely with private donations.

"They're building a ballroom for 150 years... This was all donations made by friends of mine... Not 1 penny of tax will be [used]," Trump said, calling the renovation an enhancement to the White House and saying it would be "beautiful" and useful for major state events.

Trump said the space was intended to replace prior makeshift arrangements for large foreign delegations and events where tents were used on the lawn. He described the project as expensive but privately funded by the White House Preservation Society and "friends." The address did not include contract details, donor names, a project timeline, or an oversight or reporting mechanism for the funding.

Trump closed by thanking attendees for the honor of hosting the event and by inviting the media to view performances later in the evening.

The transcript contains the president's assertions about private funding; it does not include documentary evidence of donor sources or a legal or financial accounting in the remarks.