Karoline Leavitt responds to NYT article claiming they discovered 'stairs that lead to nowhere' in White House
President Donald Trump's plans to reshape one of the most recognisable buildings in the world but the controversy that followed shows no sign of dying down.
In July, Trump announced he wanted to demolish the White House's East Wing and build a ballroom in its place - one that would be 60 percent bigger than the White House itself.
The wing, which previously housed office space for the first lady as well as a private movie theatre, was cleared for demolition by October. It's a huge change to one of the most famous buildings in the world, and not everyone is happy about it.
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For one, the project is still being challenged by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, while a further sign-off from the National Capital Planning Commission is expected to follow soon.
However, a New York Times analysis recently pointed out a specific architectural detail that has stirred the White House.
According to the report, several of the building's most aesthetic design features appear to be purely decorative without any real purpose. For example, the grand staircase at the building’s south entrance leads to a row of columns that obstruct the windows, rather than a door or entranceway. The NYT also noted that the plans show a 'stairs leading to nowhere.'
The report also pointed out that the ballroom would be so large that, when seen from the south, it would completely overshadow the White House.
However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has since criticised the piece on X.
The New York Times had three random people who have “studied fine arts,” “long written about urban planning,” and never built anything to write an article criticizing the new White House ballroom.
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) March 29, 2026
President Trump and his lead architect have built world-class buildings around… https://t.co/qAl2gk6hDA pic.twitter.com/vRH9U6mes0
"The New York Times had three random people who have “studied fine arts,” “long written about urban planning,” and never built anything to write an article criticizing the new White House ballroom," she posted.
The authors Leavitt supposedly called out were Larry Buchanan, with a background in fine arts, and Emily Badger, who has spent years writing about urban planning. The author byline also included Junho Lee, a qualified architect, whom Leavitt didn't seem to dismiss.
Leavitt went on to defend the project, adding: "President Trump and his lead architect have built world-class buildings around the world, and they are ensuring the People’s House finally has a beautiful ballroom that’s been needed for decades — at no expense to the taxpayer."
The ballroom is currently estimated to cost around $400 million, which is double the amount at the time the project was first announced.