Lil Wayne backs Trump’s White House ballroom plans, slams critics

Lil Wayne is throwing his support behind one of President Donald Trump‘s most talked-about White House projects.

The rap icon praised Trump’s plan to build a massive White House ballroom during a Monday appearance on the “Friends Keep Secrets” podcast, arguing the new venue would spare performers from being pushed outside for major events.

“I’m so glad to hear Trump say — when they was mad at him about building the ballroom, and he was like, ‘Because everything we do we have to do it on the damn lawn,” Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., said.

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The rapper praised Trump’s White House ballroom plan, saying he was glad to hear the president push for the upgrade. (Greg Doherty / Getty Images for 2K; Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images)

“So, people who don’t know nothing [are] hearing that thinking he’s just being Trump — no, for real, I was glad to hear him saying that,” he added.

Wayne’s praise stemmed from a memorable performance he gave at then-Vice President Kamala Harris‘ 2023 celebration marking the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. 

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Lil Wayne said that a 2023 Kamala Harris hip-hop anniversary performance felt like a “backyard barbecue.” (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

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The event unfolded outside at Number One Observatory Circle, where the rapper said it felt like he was attending a “backyard barbecue.”

Trump has repeatedly pitched the ballroom as a long-overdue upgrade for the White House, arguing it would provide a permanent indoor venue for state dinners, diplomatic receptions, performances and other major events while enhancing security for high-profile gatherings.

Lil Wayne said he was confused when he arrived for the performance, admitting he thought he was heading inside the actual White House. (Erika Goldring/Getty Images)

In a Truth Social post in May, Trump said the ballroom is “going up rapidly” on the east side of the White House and dismissed reports of ballooning costs. 

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President Donald Trump holds design for a proposed White House ballroom while speaking to reporters. (Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg)

He argued the project grew in price only because it was redesigned to be “approximately twice the size, and a far higher quality, than the original proposal,” which he said, “would not have been adequate to handle the necessary events, meetings, and even future Inaugurations.”

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Trump said the original proposal carried a $200 million price tag, while the expanded project “will be something less than 400 Million Dollars.”

“It will be magnificent, safe, and secure!” Trump wrote, adding that the ballroom is “coming in ahead of schedule, and under budget!”