<h1>President solicits private funds for $250M White House ballroom renovation amid questions about oversight, ethics, and gift laws</h1> The President hosted a fundraising dinner at the White House for a privately financed USD 250 million ballroom renovation, attended by major corporate representatives and wealthy donors. The planned 90,000-square-foot, high-capacity ballroom-sited where the East Wing now stands-has not received required reviews from the National Capital Planning Commission or Commission of Fine Arts, yet White House officials contend approval is unnecessary and the President asserted exemption from zoning rules. Legal issues include potential conflicts of interest, ethics and gift-law implications of soliciting private funds for federal property, separation of personal and official use of the residence, and whether statutory oversight and permitting requirements are being circumvented.