Trump Stands Firm On Rising Costs Of White House Ballroom Project Amidst Scrutiny, Says 'It Is Under Budget And Ahead of Schedule'
President Donald Trump has staunchly defended the ballooning costs of the White House ballroom project, assuring that the final result will be “much bigger and more beautiful.”
What Happened: On Saturday, in a post on Truth Social, President Trump addressed critics, including CNN's chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins, who had questioned the spiraling costs of the ballroom project.
In the post Trump explained that the project’s cost has escalated due to an increase in size and the upgrading of its interior finishes.
Trump asserted that despite the cost increase, the project is “under budget and ahead of schedule.” He also emphasized that it is entirely funded by private donations, with no taxpayer dollars being used.
“Caitlin Collin's of Fake News CNN, always Stupid and Nasty, asked me why the new Ballroom was costing more money than originally thought one year ago. I said because it is going to be double the size, and the quality of finishes and interiors has been brought to the highest level. Also, the column SPAN has been substantially increased for purposes of viewing. It is actually under budget and ahead of schedule, as my jobs always are. It's just much bigger and more beautiful than originally planned,” he said in the post.
The ballroom, situated next to the East Wing, was initially projected to cost $200 million in July. However, the president later revised this figure to $300 million, and a White House official confirmed in late October that the cost had surged to $350 million.
“Interestingly, and seldom reported, there are no taxpayer dollars involved. It is being fully paid for by private donations. FAKE NEWS CNN, and the guy who runs the whole corrupt operation that owns it, is one of the worst in the business. Their ratings are so low that they're not even counted or relevant anymore,” Trump further added in his post.
The project has ignited controversy, particularly following the complete demolition of the East Wing in October. According to reports, major corporations such as Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL), Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:FB), and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) were disclosed as donors for the project, leading lawmakers to express concerns about possible quid-pro-quo arrangements.
Why It Matters: The escalating costs and the involvement of major corporations in the funding of the White House ballroom project have raised eyebrows.
The demolition of the East Wing to accommodate the project has added to the controversy. The potential implications of these corporate donations on future policy decisions remain a concern for lawmakers and the public alike.
The project’s completion and its final cost will be closely watched in the coming months.
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