Do you agree or disagree with President Trump’s decision to build a new White House ballroom?

Agree (32%) – "I think it's fantastic that relevant updates are being made to The White House, especially with it not costing taxpayers anything. If something like this went to Congress or the public for approval, it would be caught up in years of red tape and legislation trying to block it from happening."

• "About half the presidents of the past have added their own changes to the White House. From bowing alleys to swimming pools. As far as I can tell those changes were at taxpayer expense. So the current president makes improvements and additions to enhance this historic building at his own expense and you guys go off the deep end. Who has a problem??"

"Our government changes all the time in all sorts of ways. This means there will be a formal place for all kinda of events in the white house, making the White House a bit more practical, and since the funding is private, the government will still be functioning as well as it was yesterday."

Disagree (55%) – "I don't disagree that we might need a bigger event space in the White House, but destroying the building without consulting anyone during a government shutdown with a lack of transparent donors and demanding restitution from the DOJ just reads bad."

• "The White House is an historic public property and major changes should be made with consultation with historic preservation architects and experts. Jackie Kennedy, Pat Nixon and Nancy Reagan all knew that they were guests in a national treasure, and consulted. Their outcomes were excellent."

"The White House doesn’t belong to Trump. It belongs to the citizens of the United States. It is a historical building and any structural renovations should have to go through extensive review and voted on by the people, not just one president’s whim."

• "The White House is the people’s house, not the president’s personal home. Demolition of the White House also violates the federal preservation law, especially since it has not gone through the review process nor obtained the required approvals. But mostly, this makes me question whether or not Trump actually plans to leave office after he his term."

"This is such a "leaving a legacy" type of thing that isn't needed today. We don't need a ballroom, and even if it's privately funded, it's an absurd amount of money, not to mention that it is impacting the current White House and it's landscape. The White House isn't something that a president should be able to demolish or change on their whims, since their office is a temporary one. It's for the people."

Unsure/other (13%) – "I don't love where and how they're doing it. But to complain that just because it's 'big' it isn't preserving the historical authenticity of the White House is a little short sighted. Someone has to be allowed to update the Whit House, even if it us a big change, or it will suffer."