Former President Donald Trump publicly shared his enthusiasm after rapper Lil Wayne voiced support for the White House ballroom construction project. The comments from the hip-hop artist, who received a pardon from Trump in 2021 for a federal weapons charge, were highlighted by Trump on social media.
Lil Wayne discussed the controversial ballroom project last week on the podcast “Friends Keep Secrets,” stating he found Trump's rationale for the construction to be sensible. "So people who don’t know nothin’ hearin’ that, thinkin’ he just bein’ Trump — no, for real, I was glad to hear him saying that," Lil Wayne said, referencing Trump's explanation for building the ballroom rather than using the White House lawn for events.
Lil Wayne performed at an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop in September 2023 at the vice presidential residence, an event led by then-Vice President Kamala Harris. During his podcast appearance, he mentioned that performing on the lawn felt akin to a "backyard barbecue."
The White House ballroom construction has drawn criticism, partly due to Trump's departure from his initial commitment that the project would be entirely privately funded. The demolition of the East Wing has been a focal point of public and media attention regarding the project.