Last October, Donald Trump ripped down the White House East Wing. He unilaterally decided to bring in a construction crew and demolish a significant part of the White House, all to “make room” for his big, beautiful ballroom. When all of this was met with outrage, Trump promised that the cost of the demolition and ballroom construction would not fall on the taxpayer, that he had a plan to privately finance or fundraise for his stupid f–king ballroom. Well, guess what? Republicans are now acknowledging that this ballroom fiasco will cost $1 billion, and that American taxpayers will need to pick up the bill.
Senate Republicans have inserted $1 billion for White House East Wing security enhancements in the immigration enforcement funding bill they hope to rush through Congress this month, setting up a political fight over a ballroom that President Trump has said would be financed with private money.
The leaders of the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees on Monday released plans for the roughly $70 billion package, which would significantly bolster spending on Immigration and Customs Enforcement and border patrol through the end of Mr. Trump’s term using a party-line legislative process that can skirt a filibuster.
A surprise addition to the measure was the $1 billion proposed by the Judiciary Committee for security work related to Mr. Trump’s East Wing renovation. The measure does not mention the president’s proposed new ballroom, which is being challenged in court, but Mr. Trump has insisted that a main reason for the project is to enhance security.
While the president has previously insisted that the renovation would be funded through private donations, a spokesman on Tuesday said the White House applauded the proposed security funding for a “long overdue” project.
During the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting fiasco, the Trump people tried to claim that *this* was the reason why they needed a ballroom with advanced security. Nevermind that there are already underground bunkers and tunnels beneath the White House, and nevermind that some of those bunkers and tunnels were destroyed by Trump’s half-assed demolition job. Add to all of that, the WHCD is never held at the White House! It’s never been held at the White House! Anyway, all of this to say… I hate all of these people.
Trump in March: “This [ballroom is] no charge to the taxpayer whatsoever. This was all donations made by friends of mine… Not one penny of tax will be donated to this.” https://t.co/7snBxSpeH0 pic.twitter.com/PPt0JwFXwN
— Katherine Clark (@TeamKClark) May 5, 2026
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump host Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla for afternoon tea on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 27, 2026.,Image: 1094832813, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Suzanne Plunkett/Avalon
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- U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump host Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla for afternoon tea at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 27, 2026. REUTERS/Suzanne,Image: 1094834602, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Suzanne Plunkett/Avalon
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- King Charles III and Queen Camilla join US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania for a tour of the White House beehives in the grounds of the White House in Washington DC, on day one of the state visit to the US. Picture date: Monday April 27, 2026.,Image: 1094913077, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
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- King Charles III and Queen Camilla join US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania for a tour of the White House beehives in the grounds of the White House in Washington DC, on day one of the state visit to the US. Picture date: Monday April 27, 2026.,Image: 1094913113, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
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- US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla walk along the Colonnade to the Oval Office following an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2026.,Image: 1095066992, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: HENRY NICHOLLS/Avalon
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- President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks during a State Dinner for King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in the East Room of the White House.,Image: 1095460782, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Daniel Torok/Avalon
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- President Donald J. Trump meets with King Charles III and Queen Camilla in the Oval Office, Tuesday, April 28, 2026.,Image: 1095461328, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Daniel Torok/Avalon
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- President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump host a State Dinner for King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in the East Room of the White House.,Image: 1095461329, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Daniel Torok/Avalon
Wait!? What!? He lied?! Lol every time.
Instead of someone trying to stop this demented idiot, Republicans are rushing to satisfy his every lunatic whim. And even if it was funded by private donations, it would be, in effect, a bribe.
When do we start filling the streets of DC in protest of all of this nonsense?
HELL no, we should not pay for 1billion dollar ball room because the actual ballroom will cost 29.99 while he lines his pockets and the pocket of his grifters. No the DEMS and sane republicans need to shut this gross waste of funds down.
That header pic lol – such a used car salesman vibe. He looks really obese standing next to Charles.
Every day is a fresh cup of hell with this guy. Anyone else notice he could not walk in a straight line yesterday – a symptom of frontal temporal dementia. Just like the sundowning where he tweets racist imbecilities all hours of the night while he naps during press conferences (at times napping while standing) during the day.
Great job MAGA.
Whenever that felon talks, he’s lying.
Who tf thinks a ballroom should be built onto a home, any home? Presidents have raised children in the White House ffs. When does he add the Trump gift shop and the Trump crypto hub to the White House?
What happened to all the money previously donated for this tacky monstrosity? You guessed it! Straight in this asshole’s pocket.
Ted Turner just died and, of course, Trump just posted a bizarre rant making Turner’s death all about himself
Not one cent of our tax dollars should be used on that damn ballroom or his other “projects.” Instead, that giant hole should sit there until every asset of the extended Trump family is seized. Then, the East Wing should be rebuilt exactly as before with whatever necessary infrastructure updates included. The National mall reflecting pool should be repaired and his damn wading pool surface removed. The Lincoln bathroom should be restored to its pretty art deco style instead of the fascist crematorium he installed. The Palm Room must also be restored. The Rose Garden must be restored to its 2016 beauty without its ugly umbrellas and pavement and the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, which was completely bulldozed (she designed 2 gardens) should also be restored. His demolition of the Kennedy Center must be stopped and that fascist arch of his wiped from memory
Yes Lightpurple. And this is what would happen in any functioning democracy where laws are enforced against anyone who breaks them. Look at how South Korea handled its own insurrectionist. He was tried and imprisoned within weeks. In America, he became the president.
This European guy had a great post on Insta that basically said at this point it’s not about Trump, it’s about what Trump has revealed. And that’s exactly how we feel in Canada looking at it. No checks and balances. Just lawlessness and gaslighting.
WTF. I’m outraged. But not surprised. Yaaaaay. 1 Billion dollars for a ballroom.
i hope someone is taking note, and seize all his assets and that of his Kids and jared kushner when h he is out of office
I don’t know which is more unpleasant in the top photo, the forced rictus ‘smile’ on trump’s face or the ‘giving me tatty antique shop vibes’ of the office behind him. Both are just dreadful.
Sidenote: I was trying to buy an oven from a Canadian manufacturer. The response: “We no longer ship to or support the United States.” That says it all, doesn’t it?
This is hopeful in a strange way — it means he didn’t get as many private donations as he thought he would for his vanity ballroom.