Khaberni - US President Donald Trump denied the accuracy of the reports that spoke of his intention to name the large celebration hall that is being constructed at the location of the East Wing of the White House after himself.
The US President told reporters, "I have no plans to name it after myself... Maybe we will call it the Presidential Celebration Hall or something like that, we haven't decided on a name yet."
The American network ABC reported on Saturday that high-ranking officials in the US administration indicated that Trump is likely to name the hall, which costs $300 million, after himself.
Trump faces a wave of criticism for his decision to demolish the historic East Wing of the White House to build a new hall in its place, which was initially estimated to cost $200 million. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, based in Washington, warned in a letter to administration officials this week that the new hall, covering 90,000 square feet, "will dominate the White House itself," which is approximately 55,000 square feet in area.
A White House official told the "Axios" website that the East Wing "is undergoing a modernization" that includes infrastructure dating back to 1902 and 1942, to support the construction of the dance hall and the future headquarters of the wing. The official clarified that "the scope and size of the project were always subject to change as plans evolved."
The White House was built between 1792 and 1800, while the East Wing was added in 1902 to house the offices of the First Lady, before it underwent a significant expansion in 1942.
The White House Historical Association notes that the current shape of the presidential complex is largely due to the restoration work carried out during President Harry Truman's term between 1948 and 1952.
Trump told reporters earlier that a floor added in 1948 and 1949 "was not beautiful enough," noting that the building "has changed a lot from its original design."
It is worth noting that Trump, who has long experience as a businessman in the construction field—from golf clubs to office skyscrapers—has repeatedly mentioned that the White House lacks sufficient space to host major events, which justifies, in his view, the need to carry out his new project.
