Gregory Korte

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — The White House confirmed Monday that Donald Trump had offered to spend $100 million on a new White House ballroom, but said the offer was quickly rejected.

"I'm (not) sure it would be appropriate to have a shiny gold 'Trump' sign on any part of the White House," Press Secretary Josh Earnest said. "That's what most of the buildings that he offers to build include, so I'm unclear if something like that would have been required with this offer as well."

"I can tell you that this was not something that was at all seriously considered," Earnest said. He said he could not provide details because "I was not the one who was consulted."

A White House ballroom suitable for state visits and other occasions is a longtime Trump hobby horse that reemerged Sunday, the last full day of campaigning before the Iowa caucuses.

In a campaign rally in Sioux City, Trump said he had offered to pay for the ballroom himself, and would get it built if he becomes president.

"We’ll get the top people, the top everything. We’ll have the best ballroom, because I notice they always put tents up on the lawn. No. 1, it’s not a good security thing. No 2, the guy that owns the tents is making a fortune,” he said.

Trump said he had previously approached the Obama administration to offer to pay for the ballroom, but never heard back. He said he made the offer through David Axelrod, a former White House senior adviser.

"He did offer to build one,” Axelrod told Time Magazine Sunday. "I don’t recall him saying he would pay for it. I passed his offer along to the social secretary.”