Republicans now plan for taxpayers to fund Trumps $400 million ballroom which he promised to cover with private donation [View all]

Source: The Independent

Monday 27 April 2026 23:27 EDT


In the wake of the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, top Republicans want to use $400 million in taxpayer funds on President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project, arguing the new building is vital for national security. This comes despite past promises from the president the ballroom would be entirely funded by private donations.

“It’s very difficult to have a bunch of important people in the same place unless it’s really, really secure,” Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters on Monday. “The times in which we live are unusual. I’ve been up here for a while now. I’ve never felt the sense of threat that exists today.”

Graham and his GOP colleagues Sen. Eric Schmitt and Sen. Katie Britt are pushing a bill to fund the ballroom and offset costs by using customs and national parks user fees. The proposal includes building new military and Secret Service infrastructure within the ballroom complex.

Graham said the White House supports his effort, despite the president’s frequent claims that he and private donors were personally funding the entire ballroom project. The White House has previously said major tech corporations, including those that do business with the federal government and donated to Trump’s inauguration, have committed millions to funding the ballroom. The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/taxpayer-fund-trump-ballroom-correspondents-dinner-shooting-b2966078.html

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Full headline: Republicans now plan for taxpayers to fund Trump’s $400 million ballroom which he promised to cover with private donations


What happened to the "all paid for by private donations"?

Why does the media keep giving anyone in this administration the benefit of the doubt? They do nothing but help to hasten the destruction of our democracy.