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PoliticsQuiet 4d · day 9

WaPo: Trump's White House Overhaul Costs Balloon Past $900 Million

A Washington Post review of confidential contracts finds taxpayers covering most of the bill, prompting Senate Democrats to demand a GAO probe.

latest 4d agoparsed 1d ago69 items12k engagement371 comments Google NewsRedditNewswiresMastodonXBluesky

What to know

  • A Washington Post review of confidential contracts puts White House construction costs at $900 million or more, far above earlier estimates, with taxpayers covering most of it.
  • Funds were routed through the 'White House Repair and Restoration' account, which normally holds about $2.5 million a year, now inflated to roughly $875-900 million.
  • About $70 million of the total has no publicly identified funding source, and a legal battle over the East Wing ballroom demolition continues.
  • Senate Democrats have asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate the mixed funding streams from agencies, private donors and taxpayers.

The dispute Some commenters focus on the constitutional/procedural issue of bypassing Congress, while others simply mock the cost itself, without much pushback in the evidence defending the spending.

most voices

This is an ethical scandal: taxpayers are quietly funding a lavish renovation Trump promised donors would pay for.

  • “That’s 350 years’ worth of the usual budget spent by a single administration.”

    @SenTinaSmith · x
some voices

The scale of the spending is absurd and warrants mockery given other priorities.

  • “Friendly reminder that Trump can’t even get a pool painted correctly,”

    @bourscheid · x

“The White House normally gets $2.5 million a year for maintenance. Trump’s team has allocated $875 million. That’s 350 years’ worth of the usual budget spent by a single administration.”

Sen. Tina Smith, U.S. Senator · x · Aug 12

Donald TrumpDonald Trump U.S. PresidentJonathan O'Connell Washington Post investigative reporterSen. Tina SmithSen. Tina Smith U.S. Senator (D-MN)Cerin Lindgrensavage Protect Democracy attorneySenate Democrats Congressional minority

WaPo: Trump's White House Overhaul Costs Balloon Past $900 Million
newrepublic.com

How it unfolded 6 developments · newest first pressvideopostscomments

Peak 16 items in one 2h at Aug 12, 11 AM; 69 items over 9 days (35 press · 33 posts · 1 comment) Aug 12, 5 AM — 5 items · 4 press · 1 post — Newswires 3, Mastodon 2Aug 12, 7 AM — 7 items · 5 press · 2 posts — Google News 3, Newswires 2, Mastodon 1, +1 moreAug 12, 9 AM — 6 items · 2 press · 4 posts — Mastodon 2, Reddit 2, Google News 1, +1 moreAug 12, 11 AM — 16 items · 15 press · 1 post — Newswires 13, Google News 2, Mastodon 1Aug 12, 1 PM — 5 items · 2 press · 2 posts · 1 comment — Newswires 2, Reddit 2, Mastodon 1Aug 12, 3 PM — 2 items · 2 posts — Bluesky 1, Mastodon 1Aug 12, 5 PM — 2 items · 1 press · 1 post — Newswires 1, Mastodon 1Aug 12, 7 PM — 2 items · 2 posts — Mastodon 2Aug 12, 9 PM — 2 items · 2 posts — Mastodon 2Aug 12, 11 PM — 1 item · 1 press — Newswires 1Aug 13, 1 AM — 1 item · 1 press — Newswires 1Aug 13, 3 AM — no itemsAug 13, 5 AM — no itemsAug 13, 7 AM — 1 item · 1 post — Mastodon 1Aug 13, 9 AM — 2 items · 1 press · 1 post — X 1, Newswires 1Aug 13, 11 AM — 3 items · 2 press · 1 post — Newswires 2, Bluesky 1Aug 13, 1 PM — no itemsAug 13, 3 PM — no itemsAug 13, 5 PM — 2 items · 1 press · 1 post — Reddit 1, Newswires 1Aug 13, 7 PM — 2 items · 2 posts — Bluesky 1, Mastodon 1Aug 13, 9 PM — 3 items · 3 posts — Mastodon 3Aug 13, 11 PM — 3 items · 3 posts — Mastodon 3Aug 14, 1 AM — no itemsAug 14, 3 AM — no itemsAug 14, 5 AM — no itemsAug 14, 7 AM — no itemsAug 14, 9 AM — no itemsAug 14, 11 AM — no itemsAug 14, 1 PM — 1 item · 1 post — Mastodon 1Aug 14, 3 PM — no itemsAug 14, 5 PM — no itemsAug 14, 7 PM — no itemsAug 14, 9 PM — no itemsAug 14, 11 PM — no itemsAug 15, 1 AM — no itemsAug 15, 3 AM — no itemsAug 15, 5 AM — no itemsAug 15, 7 AM — no itemsAug 15, 9 AM — no itemsAug 15, 11 AM — no itemsAug 15, 1 PM — no itemsAug 15, 3 PM — no itemsAug 15, 5 PM — no itemsAug 15, 7 PM — no itemsAug 15, 9 PM — 2 items · 2 posts — Mastodon 2Aug 15, 11 PM — no itemsAug 16, 1 AM — no itemsAug 16, 3 AM — no itemsAug 16, 5 AM — no itemsAug 16, 7 AM — 1 item · 1 post — Mastodon 1Aug 16, 9 AM — no itemsAug 16, 11 AM — no itemsAug 16, 1 PM — no itemsAug 16, 3 PM — no itemsAug 16, 5 PM — no itemsAug 16, 7 PM — no itemsAug 16, 9 PM — no itemsAug 16, 11 PM — no itemsAug 17, 1 AM — no itemsAug 17, 3 AM — no itemsAug 17, 5 AM — no itemsAug 17, 7 AM — no itemsAug 17, 9 AM — no itemsAug 17, 11 AM — no itemsAug 17, 1 PM — no itemsAug 17, 3 PM — no itemsAug 17, 5 PM — no itemsAug 17, 7 PM — no itemsAug 17, 9 PM — no itemsAug 17, 11 PM — no itemsAug 18, 1 AM — no itemsAug 18, 3 AM — no itemsAug 18, 5 AM — no itemsAug 18, 7 AM — no itemsAug 18, 9 AM — no itemsAug 18, 11 AM — no itemsAug 18, 1 PM — no itemsAug 18, 3 PM — no itemsAug 18, 5 PM — no itemsAug 18, 7 PM — no itemsAug 18, 9 PM — no itemsAug 18, 11 PM — no itemsYesterday, 1 AM — no itemsYesterday, 3 AM — no itemsYesterday, 5 AM — no itemsYesterday, 7 AM — no itemsYesterday, 9 AM — no itemsYesterday, 11 AM — no itemsYesterday, 1 PM — no itemsYesterday, 3 PM — no itemsYesterday, 5 PM — no itemsYesterday, 7 PM — no itemsYesterday, 9 PM — no itemsYesterday, 11 PM — no itemsToday, 1 AM — no itemsToday, 3 AM — no itemsToday, 5 AM — no itemsToday, 7 AM — no itemsToday, 9 AM — no itemsToday, 11 AM — no itemsToday, 1 PM — no itemsToday, 3 PM — no itemsToday, 5 PM — no items 1–34–6
Aug 13Aug 14Aug 15Aug 16Aug 17Aug 18yesterdaynow · 6:23 PM ET
  1. 6

    Estimated cost climbs toward $1 billion as coverage widens

    Follow-up reporting from Axios, Truthout and PBS NewsHour pushed the running total for White House projects — ballroom, helipad, fountains and Rose Garden work — to nearly $1 billion, with a PBS segment examining how the construction is reshaping Washington and its funding despite earlier promises that private donors would cover most costs.

    1. 2 outlets Fountains, Ballroom, and a Helipad: Trump's White House Projects Cost Nearly $1B

      first by Truthout, 7d ago · also Axios

      1 more headline
    • protectdemocracy.org

      Protect Democracy’s Cerin Lindgrensavage spoke w/ @washingtonpost.com about the Trump admin’s latest attempt to sidestep Congress. POTUS plans to funnel $900 mil to an account earmarked for routine maintenance, then use it for his gilded ballroom without the consent of Congress.

      protectdemocracy.orgBluesky7d ago58▲view on Bluesky ↗
    8 voices in this stretch — best 3 here

    • Donald Trump is planning to spend at least $900 million ripping up the White House and its grounds. A chunk of that money has no identified source.

      newrepublic@threads.netMastodon · journa.host4d ago1▲view on Mastodon ↗
    • reedmideke@mastodon.social

      "The Trump administration plans to spend at least $900 million for construction projects on the White House grounds … the administration has pieced together funding from other agencies and private donors and directed it to a little-known account that typically holds a few million dollars for routine maintenance of the executive mansion" https://…

      reedmideke@mastodon.socialMastodon · newsie.social6d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    more →
  2. 5

    Senate Democrats urge GAO to probe the funding streams

    Axios reported that Senate Democrats formally asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate the mixed funding sources — private donors, other agencies and taxpayers — behind the renovations, citing ethical concerns over who is footing the bill.

  3. 4

    Sen. Tina Smith blasts the scale of the diverted funds

    Sen. Tina Smith publicized that the White House's normal $2.5 million annual maintenance budget has been replaced by an $875 million allocation under Trump's team, framing it as 350 years' worth of the usual budget spent at once.

    “That’s 350 years’ worth of the usual budget spent by a single administration.”
    — Sen. Tina Smith

    • The White House normally gets $2.5 million a year for maintenance. Trump’s team has allocated $875 million. That’s 350 years’ worth of the usual budget spent by a single administration.

      @SenTinaSmithX · harvest7d ago7.7k▲view on X ↗
  4. 3

    Social media reacts with mockery and alarm over the price tag

    Posts across X, Bluesky and Mastodon circulated the Post's findings, mixing outrage over taxpayer funding with sarcasm about the scale of the spending.

    “Trump can’t even get a pool painted correctly…”
    — @bourscheid

    • As a reminder, this subreddit is for civil discussion . In general, please be courteous to others. Argue the merits of ideas, don't attack other posters or commenters. Hate speech, any suggestion or support of physical harm, or other rule violations can result in a temporary or a permanent ban. If you see comments in violation of our rules, please…

      AutoModeratorr/politics8d agoview on r/politics ↗
    4 voices in this stretch — best 3 here
    • AnnaAnthro@mastodon.social

      # Trump ’s White House Renovation is going to reach $1 billion. And most of it will be paid by US taxpayers. Despite his promises that donations would cover it. However, journalists have found that a listed $70 million ‘donation’ is untraceable. And # Trump isn’t talking. https:// newrepublic.com/post/214234/do…

      AnnaAnthro@mastodon.socialMastodon · mstdn.party7d agoview on Mastodon ↗

    • Trump is set to spend at least $900 million on White House construction! The price tag is much larger than what has been previously reported, according to a Post review of confidential contracts, and taxpayers would cover most of it. www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio... Trump administration set to sp...

      dianaresists.bsky.social@bsky.brid.gyMastodon · mas.to7d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    more →
  5. 2

    New Republic flags $70M with no identified funding source

    Coverage of the Post's findings notes that while most of the roughly $875 million is taxpayer-funded, about $70 million cannot be traced to a disclosed source, deepening questions about how the projects are being financed outside normal congressional appropriations.

    “President Trump has secretly funneled $875 million to White House renovations using mostly taxpayer funds—but a mysterious $70 million of it came from an identified source.”
    — New Republic

    • President Trump has secretly funneled $875 million to White House renovations using mostly taxpayer funds—but a mysterious $70 million of it came from an identified source.

      newrepublic@threads.netMastodon · journa.host8d ago1▲view on Mastodon ↗
    2 voices in this stretch — best 2 here
    • tusk81@mastodon.social

      "The Trump administration plans to spend at least $900 million for construction projects on the White House grounds, a significantly larger price tag than has been previously reported and one that would be covered primarily by taxpayers, according to records reviewed by The Washington Post." Career-ending shit for literally any other politician…

      tusk81@mastodon.socialMastodon · toot.community8d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    more →
  6. 1

    Washington Post reveals $900M White House construction cost

    A Post review of confidential contracts finds the administration plans to spend at least $900 million on White House grounds construction, a much larger figure than previously reported, with taxpayers covering most of it.

    “The Trump administration plans to spend at least $900 million for construction projects on the White House grounds, a significantly larger price tag than has been previously reported and one that would be covered primarily by taxpayers, according to records reviewed by The Washington Post.”
    — The Washington Post
    1. 10 outlets White House construction will cost how much? In THIS economy?

      first by Staff Stories, 8d ago · also Honolulu Star-Advertiser, The Independent, Independent UK, Google News · Top, Reuters, Google News · Nation +3

      6 more headlines
    2. 7 outlets Trump administration set to spend at least $900M on White House construction: Report

      first by Anadolu Agency, 8d ago · also Al Jazeera, Google News · Top, The Hill, Daily Caller, The Daily Caller, Jerusalem Post

      4 more headlines
    2 more claims →

    • 🚨 BREAKING: The White House has been forced to provide final estimated costs for the ballroom, helipad & other WH construction projects. It will be over $900 million taxpayer dollars (at the low end). Friendly reminder that Trump can’t even get a pool painted correctly,

      @bourscheidX · harvest8d ago4.1k▲view on X ↗
    4 voices in this stretch — best 3 here
    • samlitzinger

      Trump just lies and lies and lies… “Trump administration set to spend at least $900 million on White House construction The price tag is much larger than what has been previously reported, according to a Post review of confidential contracts, and taxpayers would cover most of it.” https://www. washingtonpost.com/investigati…

      samlitzingerMastodon · journa.host8d ago15▲view on Mastodon ↗
    • cbarbermd@mastodon.social

      $900 MILLION on White House construction — with TAXPAYERS covering most of the bill. A gilded ballroom while Americans are struggling with everyday costs? Public money should serve the PUBLIC — not presidential vanity. https://www. washingtonpost.com/investigati…

      cbarbermd@mastodon.socialMastodon · toot.community8d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    more →

What people are saying 6 voices from 1 site · best of 19 · verbatim

Social and forum reaction is dominated by outrage over taxpayer funding and the opacity of the financing, with a strong current of sarcasm about the scale of spending amid broader economic concerns.

Still unanswered
  • Where did the roughly $70 million with no identified source actually come from?
  • Will the Government Accountability Office act on Senate Democrats' request to investigate?