WASHINGTON (AURN News) — The cost of White House construction projects has now topped $900 million, with taxpayers covering at least half of the total, according to new reporting from The Washington Post.
The East Wing ballroom alone started at $200 million last year. It is now estimated at $600 million, according to the contractor. That comes after crews demolished the entire East Wing, including the first lady’s offices.
But it doesn’t stop at the ballroom. The $900 million total also covers a new helipad on the South Lawn, updated fountains at Lafayette Park, a new visitor screening center and upgrades to the underground bunker beneath the White House.
That’s the same bunker the administration is now citing in court as it argues the broader project qualifies as a national security necessity.
Now, the White House says most of the ballroom project is being funded by private donors. Bottom line: The number keeps growing, and the question is, who’s really paying for it?
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.
