US President Donald Trump interrupted a lavish state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping to offer his guest and other attendees a look at the construction site of a new ballroom being built at the White House, the White House said on Friday.

Trump made the unexpected announcement during Thursday’s banquet, inviting Xi, Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan and other guests to view the $400 million project. He said the ballroom was about a year away from completion.

Trump Invites Guests To Ballroom Site

During the dinner, Trump told those attending that he wanted to give them a special look at the construction work taking place next to the White House.

“As a special treat in honor of President Xi and Madam Peng, I’d like to invite everyone in the room to visit through that beautiful curtain in the back,” Trump said, according to AFP.

Trump then directed the guests towards the area from where they could view the construction site of the new ballroom.

White House Project Under Construction

The ballroom project, which Trump has put at a cost of $400 million, is being built on the White House grounds.

Trump told the dinner guests that construction was expected to continue for about another year before the project is completed. He described the work positively and encouraged those attending to take a look.

“Something that I think you will really love,” Trump said while inviting guests to view the site.

The surprise tour added an unusual element to a formal state dinner held during Xi’s Washington visit, combining the diplomatic ceremony of the occasion with a showcase of Trump’s ongoing White House construction project.

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