president Donald Trump He faced a lot of criticism online after a report revealed his new work White House Ballroom Foreign steel is used. They have reportedly secured tens of millions of dollars’ worth of donated foreign steel for Trump’s $400 million ballroom project, which is about to open in East Wing.
Luxembourg-based ArcelorMittal, the world’s second-largest steelmaker, is providing steel for Trump’s new project, The New York Times reported report. Notably, Trump has been supportive of the local steel industry, pledging to strengthen it and even threatening to impose steep tariffs on foreign metals to protect manufacturers from foreign competitors.
Given the president’s earlier stance, the White House’s actions were seen as hypocritical by many, who are now criticizing the Republican head of state for speaking out.
Trump Ballroom Used Foreign Steel: Report Sparks Outcry
One person reacts to reports of foreign steel being used in Trump Ballroom wrote on X “Despite Trump’s push for an “America First” steel policy, the donated steel was reportedly produced in Europe.”
other additional “Why does Donald Trump use foreign steel in his vanity ballroom? What went wrong with ‘America First’?”
another person explain “The White House secured foreign steel for the ballroom project. So much for America First. Donated or not, they should be using American steel. Trump is selling out and plundering America.”
What to know about ArcelorMittal and Trump Ballroom
The White House has not disclosed details of the donation. However, President Trump said in October 2025 that $37 million worth of steel was donated to him to build the ballroom.
Speaking of the donation, Trump once said it was “great steel, not junk steel because they dump a lot of junk around it.” You know, steel is like everything else, including humans. Steel can be high quality or low quality. He wanted to make sure it was of high quality.
His comments came just days before the White House made changes to the tariff regime that could benefit ArcelorMittal by “cutting tariffs on auto steel exports from its Canadian plants in half,” according to the New York Times.
Amid the controversy surrounding the use of foreign steel in Trump’s new ballroom, White House spokesman Davis Ingle said the president is “making the White House beautiful and giving it the glory it deserves at no cost to taxpayers — and that’s something everyone should celebrate.”
“Only someone with severe Trump Derangement Syndrome would spot this problem,” he added, according to The New York Times .
