Donald Trump has defended his White House ballroom project by calling it a gift to the USA. The president gave a tour of the construction site to reporters on May 19. This comes as the project faces resistance in Congress over a billion-dollar funding request.
Donald Trump talks about the ballroom with ongoing construction
The president led reporters onto a platform overlooking the East Wing site. Workers in hard hats and fluorescent vests moved below, and easels displayed renderings of the planned building.
“There will never be another building like this built, that I can tell you,” Trump told reporters. He maintained that the $400 million construction cost would be covered entirely by private donors, including himself. He also mentioned that the project is underway “in strict coordination” with the military and the US Secret Service. “This is not going to be paid for by the taxpayer. This is a gift to the United States of America.”
The administration has asked Congress to approve $1 billion for campus-wide security additions, which include the ballroom. That request hit an obstacle when the Senate parliamentarian ruled it could not be added to a bill funding immigrant enforcement agencies for three years. Several Republican lawmakers have also questioned the expense during an election year, which already has rising prices due to the Iran war and oil supply disruption.
Trump did not answer when asked if he would commit more personal money should Congress reject the funding request. Democrats and some Republicans have called the proposal extravagant as voters grapple with economic pressures ahead of the November midterm elections.
The 90,000-square-foot venue would accommodate events of 1,000 people, far exceeding the current White House capacity. Trump argued the space is necessary for security reasons, citing the assassination attempt at WHCD. He described a bunker-like structure with a hardened roof capable of withstanding a direct attack.
Donald Trump acknowledged he would have a limited opportunity to use the ballroom, with completion set for September 2028, less than six months before his term ends. “This is really for other presidents,” he said (via The Guardian).
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory.
