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Dampener for his favorite projectDonald Trump won't get his mega ballroom after all?
Donald Trump's prestige project is faltering. An important financing trick is being blocked in the Senate, of all places.
FW1FP/Billy Mallard, REUTERS, Elizabeth Frantz
Clever but not very smart?
US President Donald Trump is planning a new ballroom in the White House. He has already had an entire wing of the building demolished for this purpose. But now the million-dollar project is facing political headwind. An important part of the funding was stopped in the Senate.
Financing plan causes dispute
Donald Trump (79) has suffered a setback in his planned ballroom in the White House. A U.S. Senate staffer responsible for interpreting the rules cut funds from a major Republican spending package that had been earmarked for security measures around the project. The Democrats announced this on Saturday, May 16th.
Trump had stated that the ballroom, which cost around $400 million, would be financed by private donors. However, Republicans in the Senate wanted to provide an additional $1 billion for the Secret Service. The money would also be used for security measures related to the ballroom, according to Reuters.
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Democrats sharply criticize the project
The decision could now force the Republicans to revise their legislative package. Trump's Republicans have a majority in the Senate. However, they are trying to pass the $72 billion budget package using special budget rules without the support of the Democrats. A simple majority is enough for this. Most legislation would normally require 60 of the 100 votes in the Senate. If funding for the ballroom is not adjusted, it could be removed from the package.
The Democrats accuse Trump and the Republicans of pushing ahead with an expensive prestige project at a time when the cost of living is rising. The Republicans, however, defend the spending with security concerns. They point to an incident in April in which an armed man is said to have tried to storm a gala in Washington that Trump was attending. According to Trump's plans, the ballroom is scheduled to be completed in September 2028.
The demolition of the east wing also caused controversy
Last year, Trump had the east wing of the White House demolished for the project. The building originally dates from 1902.
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A monument protection organization then filed a lawsuit. She argued that neither the president nor the National Park Service had the authority to demolish the historic building without congressional approval. However, a US appeals court in April allowed construction to continue. (abl/rts)
Sources used: Reuters
