Rapper Lil Wayne praised President Donald Trump for wanting to build a ballroom at the White House, recalling his confusion after being asked to perform outside on the South Lawn instead of inside the executive mansion.
“I had to perform, probably two years ago, at the White House. I’m so glad to hear Trump say, when they were mad at him about building the ballroom, and he was like, ‘Because everything we do, we have to do it on the damn lawn,’” Lil Wayne said on the Friends Keep Secrets podcast Tuesday.
Lil Wayne appeared to be referring to his performance at then-Vice President Kamala Harris’s official residence during a 2023 celebration marking the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. The concert was held outdoors on the grounds of the vice president’s residence at the United States Naval Observatory, and not the White House.
Lil Wayne said that Trump’s response resonated with him, matching his own performing experience.
The White House has said presidents from both parties have sought additional space for large events and official functions for years. Trump has argued the new ballroom would meet that long-standing need while serving future administrations as well as his own.
“When I got there and had to perform, I was like, ‘Why is it in the backyard?’ I was like, ‘I can’t go in? This is a backyard barbecue?’” he said.
The proposal has drawn bipartisan criticism. Democrats have questioned the necessity of the project, while Senate Republicans have also opposed aspects of the plan.
Earlier this year, seven Republican senators joined Democrats in backing an amendment that would have blocked the construction of the ballroom without congressional approval, though the measure failed to advance.
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Trump has maintained that the ballroom itself will be paid for through private donations. His administration has also sought congressional funding to cover security upgrades tied to the broader East Wing project.
“I was glad to hear him say that,” Lil Wayne said.