Trump Appoints Shalom Baranes as New Architect for $300 Million White House Ballroom Project

Dec 05, 2025 03:05 pm CST

President Donald Trump has selected architect Shalom Baranes to lead the $300 million White House ballroom project after reported disagreements with the original designer James McCrery. The ambitious privately-funded initiative, which has already resulted in the demolition of the entire East Wing, aims to create a space capable of hosting 1,000 guests but has raised concerns about potentially overshadowing the historic presidential residence.