Donald Trump has invoked King Charles’s forthcoming State Visit to the USA as justification for the contentious £301million ($400 million) ballroom being constructed at the White House.The US President made his case while addressing a gathering of farmers beside the active building site where the East Wing once stood.The Potus maintained that the new facility is essential for accommodating substantial numbers of guests when entertaining foreign heads of state and dignitaries.The monarch’s trip, though not yet formally confirmed, is anticipated to take place in April as part of celebrations marking 250 years of American independence.The ambitious 90,000-square foot development has faced legal opposition from those seeking to stop the works proceeding.Complicating matters is the White House’s location on federal parkland, which subjects the project to additional regulatory scrutiny.A panel led by one of the President’s senior aides will cast a decisive vote on the plans on April 2.The scheme has already secured unanimous approval from the US Commission of Fine Arts, a body whose current members were all appointed by the US President himself.Demolition of the historic East Wing took place last October to make way for the new structure.Surveying the construction works, the President and property developer expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating: “I love construction. I love building beautiful things.”Mr Trump described the excavation as “a big dig” and noted that successive presidents had requested such a space.”Every president has said can we have a ballroom please, a room where you could have a lot of people?” he remarked.The Republican explained the rationale behind the development: “So when the president of China, France, when somebody comes over from the UK, including the King, we have the King coming over very shortly, King Charles, so we can have, like, a large room, because the White House is incredible, but it never had a ballroom.”He predicted the finished venue would be “the finest ballroom anywhere in the world.”LATEST ROYAL NEWSKing Charles hit with setback as new coastal path raises safety concernsPrince William gives ‘renewed glimmer of hope’ following commitment to ChristianityMeghan Markle’s close friend welcomes baby boy with adorable postThe demolished East Wing had stood since 1902, when it was erected during Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency, before being enlarged under Franklin Roosevelt in 1942.Private funding is covering the cost of the new ballroom, which will have capacity for 1,000 guests and is scheduled for completion before Trump leaves office in 2029.King Charles and Queen Camilla are expected to travel to Washington and New York next month, though the visit remains unconfirmed amid calls for it to be postponed due to the ongoing Middle East crisis.Mr Trump dismissed suggestions earlier this week that transatlantic tensions over the Iran conflict would derail the royal tour.Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
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