A Ballroom? Really?

 

The White House announced today that a new ballroom will be built on the White House grounds. The photo above was shared during a press conference, along with the news that “47” plans to pay for the project himself. No word yet on whether he’ll also be footing the bill for the gaudy interior—or if that will somehow end up on our tab.

Too bad we can’t get him to cover the costs of his golf outings instead. Since taking office on January 20, 2025, he’s already racked up over $60 million in taxpayer-funded golf expenses, as of July 26. That includes the cost of flying Air Force One, transporting his motorcade and security teams, and even the portable toilets used by the Secret Service at his Bedminster resort. If he keeps this pace up, we’re looking at about $120 million per year, or nearly half a billion dollars over four years—all for golf.

Speaking of travel perks, let’s not forget the “free” private jet recently added to his presidential perks package. While technically donated to the government, it’s now being retrofitted and upgraded at taxpayer expense—to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. That includes luxury interior redesigns, advanced communications systems, and heightened security features, all to suit his particular taste and needs. Free isn’t free when we’re the ones paying to make it fly.

But back to the ballroom.

Karoline Leavitt shared this glowing statement:

“We are proud to announce that the construction of the new White House ballroom will begin. For 150 years, presidents, administrations, and White House staff have longed for a large event space on the White House complex that can hold substantially more guests than currently allowed.”

I had to laugh. How many presidential diaries did she flip through to discover all this “longing” for a fancier party space?

Meanwhile, across the country, teachers are underpaid, small towns are struggling with crumbling infrastructure, health care remains out of reach for many, and our veterans wait too long for basic services. The idea that this administration believes building a lavish ballroom is a top priority says a lot.

This doesn’t reflect the values I associate with America—things like service, humility, community, and fiscal responsibility.