First Lady Melania Trump said her vision is to preserve America’s story through superior institutional design in improving federal landmarks.
The first lady spoke from the White House Rose Garden at an event to honor the 2026 White House Historical Association Presidential Sites Summit on Sept. 10, saying that “the White House stands as an architectural autobiography of America, embodying the enduring values of ambition, democracy, and civic life through its design, craftmanship, and the objects within.”
According to the White House, the gathering included more than 200 leaders from presidential sites around the nation and was part of the America 250 celebration.
The first lady described some of her efforts to retain important elements of the original White House design, noting the restoration of the historic wallpaper from the French artist Jean-Julien Deltil.
She called it part of “a commitment to preserving a vital piece of our American narrative” that was “not merely an act of restoration; it was an investment in the future of our nation’s story.”
During President Donald Trump’s first term, his wife was an active part of White House preservation as well, working to oversee restoration of the Bellangé suite of furniture in the Blue Room.
She also replaced the rug in the Diplomatic Reception Room, and in 2020 took on a role in the redesign of the Rose Garden, which was needed to improve drainage and upgrade audio-visual equipment.
Shortly after the 2020 election, she also unveiled a new White House tennis pavilion that won several architectural awards.
“Every detail was thoughtfully considered to ensure the new structure harmonized with the historic neoclassical character of the White House Grounds,” she said.
Meanwhile, the president has been working in and out of court to continue with his substantial White House ballroom project. About 10 days before the first lady’s comments, the Supreme Court issued an order allowing construction of the ballroom to move forward.
The 5–4 decision granted the government’s request to stay a lower court’s order that halted the above-ground construction of the ballroom until the completion of the lawsuit against the project by a historic preservation group.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States had initially called the project into question, citing a lack of plans with the National Capital Planning Commission, a lack of environmental impact assessment, and no congressional authorization for the construction.
Construction on the 90,000-square-foot ballroom began in September 2025 and required demolition of the East Wing, which the president said was too small and in poor repair.
The new ballroom is expected to cost around $400 million but has been funded by private donors.
The first lady told attendees that the administration has a “duty to ensure that the choices we make today are worthy of the legacy we pass forward.”
Matthew Vadum contributed to this report.
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