President Donald Trump said more improvements could be coming to the White House while speaking to reporters Tuesday.
While walking on the roof, he said upgrades at the White House are "just another way to spend my money for the country."
"Anything I do is financed by me, so you don't have to worry," Trump said. "It's contributed just like my salary is contributed, but nobody ever mentions that."
The White House recently announced construction of a $200 million White House State Ballroom, with construction set to begin in September.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the east wing of the White House will be "modernized" as part of the project and that East Wing staffers, including aides to first lady Melania Trump, will be temporarily relocated.
The project will be paid for by Trump and other donors, she said. Trump has frequently complained the White House lacks a large-scale ballroom for entertaining.
McCrery Architects has been tapped as the lead architect while the construction team will be headed by Clark Construction and the engineering team will be led by AECOM.
The project is expected to be completed long before the end of Trump's term. The Secret Service will provide the necessary security enhancements and modifications, the White House said.
- Information from Reuters was used in this report.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.