Xi made Trump want a ballroom

Gustaf Thornéus

Updated 12.57 | Published 12.53

Trump was invited to dinner in the Chinese ballroom.

Then his craving increased:

"China has one - then we should have one too," the president writes.

          

          Photo: Mark Schiefelbein /AP/TT

On Thursday, a dinner was held in honor of Donald Trump in Beijing, in connection with the summit between the countries.

The banquet, which was held in a ballroom, seems to have increased Trump's craving to have his own.

“China has a ballroom, the United States should too,” the president wrote on Truth Social.

The ballroom in the East Wing of the White House has been one of Donald Trump’s top priorities since he was sworn in as president for the second time. The construction is estimated to cost $400 million.

            

           The construction of the new White House ballroom. Photo: Mark Schiefelbein /AP/TT

“Ahead of schedule”

There have been many twists and turns since then. Lawsuits, postponements and swearing have followed each other since the plans were first conceived.

But now construction is underway, the president announced.

“It (the ballroom) is under construction, ahead of schedule and will be the finest facility of its kind anywhere in the United States. Thank you for all the support I have received to get this project off the ground. The planned inauguration will be around September 2028”.

To accompany the post, he posted a picture of himself and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“One of the world’s great leaders!” Trump wrote.