The cost of President Donald Trump’s ballroom addition to the White House has increased significantly, nearly doubling from the originally stated price of $200 million to about $300 million, the president admitted while speaking to reporters on Thursday.
When asked, “Have you raised the full $300 million needed to fund your ballroom, and how much specifically are you donating to this construction?” Trump responded,
“Actually, we raised, I think, $350 million, all donor money, and money that we put up. We’ve raised it, it’s going to be, it’s going to cost right in the neighborhood of $300 million.”
He added, “It’s been expanded and made, absolutely, it’ll be the most beautiful ballroom anywhere in the world, I think.”
Reporters then followed up with, “And how much specifically are you donating to it personally?”
Trump replied, “How much am I donating? I won’t be able to tell you until I finish, but I’ll donate whatever is needed. I’ll tell you that.”
The ballroom project has already led to demolition work on parts of the East Wing, despite previous promises that it would not alter any existing structure. This development has sparked outrage among observers who fear that President Trump is reshaping the White House too aggressively in his own image.
Critics are also angry that the president is focusing on a vanity project for his residence at a time when the federal government is shut down over a standoff regarding the extension of health care funding for millions of Americans.
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-ballroom-2674228054/