'Gaudy' - Vote on Trump's White House ballroom postponed amid deluge of criticism

A vote on President Donald Trump's proposed White House ballroom has been postponed after a commission overseeing changes received more than 32,000 comments, mostly in opposition, from the public.

They included accusations Trump is seeking a "gaudy, personalized palace", undertaking "personal vanity project" and "a complete razing of American history".

The East Wing of the White House was demolished in October to make way for construction of the ballroom, which would be larger than the existing White House and seat 1,000.

Trump administration officials have said demolition was more economical than renovating the East Wing and noted many presidents have made changes to the White House.

Nearly 100 people were scheduled to speak at a public forum on Thursday hosted by the National Capital Planning Commission (NPCC). The panel had been scheduled to vote during the forum but delayed the vote given the volume of feedback.

"We're going to take the time to deliberate, and we're going to have a final vote on April 2," NCPC chairman Will Scharf said at the beginning of the meeting.

The NPCC is a government commission that oversees planning for federal buildings and land in Washington DC.

The commission's executive director had recommended approving plans for the ballroom, saying the White House was responding to changing times and the "longstanding need" for permanent space to "host diplomatic and other state events".

That recommendation will be considered by the commission, along with the comments submitted by members of the public. Everyday Americans as well is historians and preservationists weighed in, including supporters.

"The reasons I've been exposed to of why President Trump wants the East Wing changed and every reason I've read was a good and firm reason," one wrote, encouraging the commission to back the project.

Among points of frustration expressed by others are the cost and the lack of public input before the East Wing was demolished.

"This is the People's House we expect due diligence in keeping with size, scale, purpose for this historical building. Stop the outrageous tackiness," one person wrote.

"I am outraged that this monstrous ballroom was designed and the construction of the original without any approval," another said. "This is the people's house and should have been authorized by the people."

The ballroom is projected to cost $400m (£298m), which is twice the original estimate. Trump has said private donors will be paying for its construction.

Though the White House and its adjoining parks are administered by the National Park Service (NPS), the president generally has broad powers to make renovations, a point of contention for some commenters.

"As someone who works in real estate, alongside of investors and developers, the fact that Trump doesn't have to follow the rules and regulations of obtaining proper permits and permissions like the rest of us do, is absurd and unethical," one wrote.

White House officials previously told members of the NPCC that the East Wing had "chronic water intrusion, accelerated deterioration and mould contamination".

"Because of this and other factors, the cost analysis proved that demolition and reconstruction provided the lowest total cost ownership and most effective long-term strategy," Josh Fisher, director of the White House Office of Administration, said.

The White House ballroom project is also expected to add a second story to the West Wing, which houses offices for staff as well as the president.

Ballroom architect Shalom Baranes said the building would span 22,000 sq ft and include two entry lobbies, a commercial kitchen, an office for the first lady and a movie theatre.

A nonprofit organisation tasked by the US Congress with helping preserve historic sites - the National Trust for Historic Preservation - sued the White House in December to stop construction of the ballroom.

The trust argued that the White House failed to seek necessary reviews and permissions before demolishing the East Wing and should have filed plans with the commission before starting construction.

A judge ruled last week that the preservation group raised the wrong legal claims against the president, and said that if the group brought a new challenge he would "expeditiously" reconsider. This, for now, allowed Trump to continue the construction.