White House · Donald Trump · US Senate · Axios
Trump's White House remodel tab keeps growing
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The East Wing is gone, a new helipad is spreading across the lawn, and scaffolding wraps the White House's front columns, but the price tags for President Trump's renovations are far less obvious.
Key facts
- Friction point: The administration also pitched lawmakers on a $1 billion security plan for the renovation project, Axios' Alex Isenstadt previously reported, including $220 million for "hardening
- The stalled ballroom project's price tag has risen rapidly after it was initially pitched at roughly $200 million last year
- The East Wing is gone, a new helipad is spreading across the lawn, and scaffolding wraps the White House's front columns, but the price tags for President Trump's renovations are far less obvious
- Senate Democrats urged the Government Accountability Office to audit the ballroom project's scope and cost Wednesday
Summary
The muddled mix of funding streams, whether from private donors, the president himself or taxpayers, has fueled ethical questions about who's footing the ever-rising bill for the HGTV-reminiscent White House redesign. Senate Democrats urged the Government Accountability Office to audit the ballroom project's scope and cost Wednesday. One tally, reported exclusively by The Washington Post this week, says the president's construction projects, including upgrades to Lafayette Square and other renovations, could cost at least $927 million. The lawmakers cited a lack of transparency and "limited congressional oversight, meaningful public input, and adherence to established federal processes.