The White House is undergoing a $200m (£150m) facelift, constructing a new ballroom in the east wing.

Work on the sprawling 90,000sq ft event space will begin in September and will eliminate the need for a “large and unsightly tent” usually used to host diners at formal gatherings, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, announced on Thursday.

Donald Trump, who has already implemented his polarising trademark interior style throughout the White House, will cover the cost of the project alongside other donors.

“The White House State ballroom will be a much needed and exquisite addition of approximately 90,000 total square feet of innately designed and carefully crafted space with a seated capacity of 650 people, which is a significant increase from the 200-person seated capacity in the East Room of the White House,” Mrs Leavitt told reporters.

The project is expected to be completed before the end of Mr Trump’s term in January 2029.