White House Construction Project to Cost Nearly $1bn
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- The Trump administration defended reports of nearly $1bn in White House construction, calling the work "long-overdue and necessary" and "inextricably tied to the security of the President."
- The Washington Post obtained documents showing the administration planned to spend nearly $1bn on construction, including a large new ballroom to replace much of the White House's East Wing.
- White House spokesman Davis Ingle cited attempted attacks on the president and events around the 250th anniversary of US independence as reasons for the work, and said approximately $400m for the new ballroom came from "President Trump and generous American patriots."
- The White House Repair and Restoration account received approximately $875m — far above its typical balance of several million dollars — with $500m from the Secret Service and White House Military Office, $305m from private donations, and $70m of unstated provenance.
- A federal judge in Washington, DC last week ordered a halt to ballroom construction specifically, ruling the project needed Congressional approval under existing law.
- Public Citizen reported in June that corporate donors to the project had received more than $50bn in government contracts during the previous six months, fueling concerns about pay-for-favor arrangements.
Why it matters: A federal judge has already blocked the ballroom for lacking Congressional approval, and Public Citizen's finding that project donors pocketed more than $50bn in government contracts over six months gives lawmakers and courts a concrete basis to probe whether private money is buying access — not just renovation.
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