Leaked Documents Show Trump Ballroom Costs Taxpayers $307 Million

Leaked internal documents from Clark Construction reveal that Donald Trump's White House East Wing ballroom and bunker project is estimated to cost $600 million. This figure represents a 50% increase over previous estimates of $400 million and contradicts the president's repeated assertions that the project was taxpayer-free and funded entirely by private donors.

Records indicate that approximately $307 million in public funds are slated for the project, including $155 million from the United States Secret Service, $149 million from the White House Military Office, and $3 million from the Executive Residence. To justify these expenditures, a White House lawyer reportedly rewrote contract language to categorize the project as security-related. The White House maintains that the project is necessary for security enhancements, including drone-proof structures and a subterranean hospital, following a foiled attack on a UFC event at the White House.

The project faces significant legal and political opposition. The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit arguing the construction lacks congressional approval, leading to a court injunction on above-ground work that was later paused by an appeals court. Democratic lawmakers have condemned the spending as a vanity project and a grift, while a bipartisan group of senators previously blocked a $400 million legislative authorization for the site.