US President links expected visit to plans for a new White House ballroom designed to host major state events….reports Asian Lite News Desk
US President Donald Trump on Monday said Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Washington toward the end of September, while highlighting plans to construct a new state ballroom at the White House to host larger gatherings for visiting world leaders.
Speaking during a luncheon in the White House Rose Garden, Trump said Xi’s proposed visit underscored the need for expanded facilities at the Executive Mansion.
“President Xi is coming here toward the end of September, the 24th, I believe,” Trump said, adding that a larger ballroom would allow the White House to accommodate thousands of guests during high-profile state visits.
He said similar arrangements would be required for other international leaders, including Britain’s King Charles III, and argued that the United States should have a ceremonial venue comparable to those of other major world powers.
Trump noted that the White House has never had a dedicated state ballroom despite proposals stretching back more than a century.
“For 150 years they’ve wanted a ballroom to be built. We don’t have a ballroom in the White House,” he said.
The President described the proposed structure as a major addition to the White House complex, saying it would become one of Washington’s landmark buildings while incorporating enhanced security features.
According to Trump, the facility would be built in coordination with the US military and would be designed to withstand a range of security threats, calling it a “national security must.”
Drawing comparisons with venues he has seen abroad, Trump referred to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, saying China possesses an impressive state ballroom and that the US should have one that reflects its global stature.
He also recalled a recent visit to Windsor Castle, where he discussed its history with King Charles III, before returning to his plans for the White House expansion.
Trump said the new ballroom would provide a safer and more suitable venue for presidential inaugurations, state dinners and other major official events than existing facilities.
He expressed confidence that construction would be completed by mid-2028, dismissing criticism that the project was intended for his own presidency.
“I’m really building it for other Presidents,” he said.
Trump made the remarks while announcing his administration’s “Trump Accounts” programme for newborn Americans, though a significant portion of his speech focused on the proposed White House renovation and modernisation plans.
