President Donald Trump’s ongoing makeover of the White House and its grounds could ultimately cost more than $900 million, with much of the funding coming from taxpayers, according to a report.

Citing contracts and planning documents, The Washington Post said the administration is preparing to spend a great deal more than the $600 million previously outlined for the construction of the president’s new ballroom in place of the East Wing, which was abruptly demolished last year.

Work is also either planned or ongoing to make improvements to nearby Lafayette Square and to build a new helipad and visitor screening center, all of which could take the cost to $927 million, the records seen by The Post indicate.

However, rather than ask Congress for the funding for Trump’s “modernization” agenda, the administration is reportedly shifting money from federal agencies and private donors into the Executive Residence, a small office responsible for the upkeep of the president’s private home.

According to public budget records cited by the Post, the administration has directed $875 million to the residence’s account since Trump returned to office in January 2025.

Approximately $500 million of that total came via transfers from the Secret Service and White House Military Office, $305 million from philanthropists and another $70 million from an unidentified source.

Doing so is entirely within the rules – although experts cited by the newspaper agreed the amount money involved was “incredibly unusual”. The office in question is exempt from the transparency rules that apply to other agencies, keeping any contracts it awards confidential.

Responding, White House spokesman Davis Ingle told the Post in a statement: “President Trump continues to implement long-overdue and necessary renovations to beautify the People’s House as we celebrate our great nation’s 250th anniversary of independence.

“Thanks to the Builder-in-Chief, the White House will be properly glorified and remain in excellent condition for generations to come.

“Recent events such as the foiled attack on the historic UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House proves exactly why the East Wing Modernization Project is severely needed for large scale events, which include drone proof structures and drone ports among other critical security enhancements,” Ingle added.

The Independent has also reached out to the White House for comment.

Trump’s ballroom was hit with a fresh setback last week when two judges on the D.C. Court of Appeals ruled that the president must halt above-ground construction until he has secured Congress’s approval for the project.

“Each president is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House and its Executive Residence,” the judges wrote.

“We are aware of no instance in American history in which a president unilaterally and using privately collected funds demolished substantial portions of the White House that Congress authorized to be built and American taxpayers paid for. Until now.”

Both Franklin D Roosevelt and Harry Truman did make extensive repairs to the White House but went to Capitol Hill to secure their funding, as did Barack Obama more recently.