Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(138,538 posts)
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 01:14 PM 5 hrs ago

Trump administration quietly shifts $352m in federal funds for White House ballroom

Source: The Guardian

Donald Trump's administration has quietly redirected $352m in federal funds designated for the Secret Service toward the president's controversial White House ballroom project, despite repeated promises by Trump that the construction would be financed by private donations

The funds were drawn from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Trump's signature tax legislation passed last summer on Republican-only votes. The law stipulates the money may only be spent on Secret Service personnel, training facilities, technology and related costs, not construction.

About $340.8m of the funding was placed into an account labeled "Procurement, Construction, and Improvements" on 12 June, according to the office of management and budget (OMB) database. Another account labeled "Operations and Support" was also approved the same day, adding another $10.75m to the budget.

The move came after Congress explicitly refused to provide $1bn in funds for the "East Wing Modernization Project", the Trump administration's official name for a 90,000-sq-ft ballroom being built on the site of the White House's demolished East Wing.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/trump-administration-quietly-shifts-352m-153628777.html



33 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Trump administration quietly shifts $352m in federal funds for White House ballroom (Original Post) Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin 5 hrs ago OP
How many levels of thievery must we witness, before somebody does something? yellow dahlia 4 hrs ago #1
I say this every day!! young_at_heart 4 hrs ago #5
It's a kind of psychological torture to have to witness this. yellow dahlia 4 hrs ago #6
It absolutely is! IrishAfricanAmerican 3 hrs ago #14
Sad, but true. yellow dahlia 2 hrs ago #18
Some of us have been suffering with it since his first "term"... slightlv 2 hrs ago #23
They will magically have it back when a democrat is in the White House. Claustrum 1 hr ago #33
Kick dalton99a 4 hrs ago #2
I liked the old White House. The one without Trump. twodogsbarking 4 hrs ago #3
He will shift the other 2/3's in a week or so. twodogsbarking 4 hrs ago #4
I don't get how freely... purr-rat beauty 4 hrs ago #7
There are levels of approval that are needed. These establish accounting controls. underpants 2 hrs ago #28
Stop thief! City Lights 3 hrs ago #8
Wanted: At least one adult to be in the room Seinan Sensei 3 hrs ago #10
"East Wing Modernization Project",,, Originally, the ballroom would not affect the East Wing. Norrrm 3 hrs ago #9
Everything's a bait-and-switch scam for this sleazy condo salesman. sop 2 hrs ago #24
Once Congress releases money to anything under the umbrella of the Executive it is theirs to do with what they want Cheezoholic 3 hrs ago #11
Any contractors that accept the money should be banned from government contracts for the next twenty years. cstanleytech 3 hrs ago #12
Really? From Secret Service? BadgerMom 3 hrs ago #13
He's going to gut the SS budget, and replace... LudwigPastorius 3 hrs ago #15
It's supposedly for upgrades under the ground. underpants 2 hrs ago #30
Hey, it worked when he took DoD money to pay for the "wall" that Mexico was supposed to pay for. progressoid 2 hrs ago #16
And who wants to bet that the poll company he hired to redo the reflecting pool gave him a kickback. Lonestarblue 2 hrs ago #17
Didn't the courts shut down his ballroom construction at the end of May or beginning of June? Bev54 2 hrs ago #19
When I first started reading this, your question came to my mind..I, too, thought this project was stopped Deuxcents 2 hrs ago #29
How do they get away with this? Doesn't Congress have to approve the movement of funds? ChicagoTeamster 2 hrs ago #20
It is not a ballroom it is a Furhrer Bunker Botany 2 hrs ago #21
That's my thinking. Harker 2 hrs ago #25
He's leaving,one way or the other........... Bengus81 1 hr ago #32
We know congress won't do anything. Hieronymus Phact 2 hrs ago #22
"There is no bottom... GiqueCee 2 hrs ago #26
Kennedy Center was just the beginning bucolic_frolic 2 hrs ago #27
It would be hard to find something,anything to impeach his ass over Bengus81 1 hr ago #31

yellow dahlia

(6,815 posts)
1. How many levels of thievery must we witness, before somebody does something?
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 01:22 PM
4 hrs ago

Congress - take back your Article 1 responsibilities!

I'm apoplectic! I'm fuming!

young_at_heart

(4,078 posts)
5. I say this every day!!
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 01:52 PM
4 hrs ago

When will somebody DO something? and.....Why do I have to keep saying this over and over?

IrishAfricanAmerican

(4,537 posts)
14. It absolutely is!
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 03:10 PM
3 hrs ago

Most of the citizens will be experiencing PTSD when this traitor is finally out of office.

slightlv

(8,146 posts)
23. Some of us have been suffering with it since his first "term"...
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 04:01 PM
2 hrs ago

I ask when will be allowed therapy and recompensed for pain and suffering!

Claustrum

(5,062 posts)
33. They will magically have it back when a democrat is in the White House.
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 04:50 PM
1 hr ago

Just like the Supreme Court will act differently. But not before then.

Or alternatively, we win back both the house and senate.

Do not trust any republicans to do the right thing because you will always be disappointed.

purr-rat beauty

(1,602 posts)
7. I don't get how freely...
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 02:11 PM
4 hrs ago

These people can shift, drop, take large sums of money without some serious oversight it seems.

Is there just a button they push?

Wouldn't there be levels and levels of legal and financial paperwork?

Fuck....buying a house is more complicated than taking a quarter billion dollars from the treasury or other budgets.

That is OUR money

underpants

(197,673 posts)
28. There are levels of approval that are needed. These establish accounting controls.
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 04:08 PM
2 hrs ago

If someone says no they NOW they would probably be fired and pressure would be put on someone else to sign off on it. This is probably done with a journal entry.

Debut one fund/revenue account (decrease)
Credit another fund/revenue account (increase)

City Lights

(26,162 posts)
8. Stop thief!
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 02:34 PM
3 hrs ago

Every day it's a new horror with him, and those who can stop him just sit by watching.

Norrrm

(5,982 posts)
9. "East Wing Modernization Project",,, Originally, the ballroom would not affect the East Wing.
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 02:47 PM
3 hrs ago

Originally, it was going to cost $200 million.

Cheezoholic

(4,076 posts)
11. Once Congress releases money to anything under the umbrella of the Executive it is theirs to do with what they want
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 02:57 PM
3 hrs ago

Technically no, thats misappropriations but the only thing that will stop the Executive from abusing those funds is a Congress that holds them accountable and a truly independent DOJ and GAO, which we do not have. Lose the judiciary and it's over. There's only one thing good that will eventually come of this repuke regime is it has laid wide open the holes in our system that can be exploited for self enrichment and for corruption. Special independent commission to work on fixing all of this crap if we win. If we don't it will happen over and over IMO.

cstanleytech

(28,687 posts)
12. Any contractors that accept the money should be banned from government contracts for the next twenty years.
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 03:08 PM
3 hrs ago

LudwigPastorius

(15,209 posts)
15. He's going to gut the SS budget, and replace...
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 03:13 PM
3 hrs ago

the agents with UFC fighters in matching brown shirts who he can pay with crypto TrumpBux.

underpants

(197,673 posts)
30. It's supposedly for upgrades under the ground.
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 04:13 PM
2 hrs ago

Secret service related. Much better medical and security facilities.

progressoid

(53,497 posts)
16. Hey, it worked when he took DoD money to pay for the "wall" that Mexico was supposed to pay for.
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 03:20 PM
2 hrs ago

This is pocket change compared to that.

Lonestarblue

(13,608 posts)
17. And who wants to bet that the poll company he hired to redo the reflecting pool gave him a kickback.
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 03:20 PM
2 hrs ago

The original estimate for the repairs was around $2 million, but that quickly got increased to over $14 million when Trump hired, without any bids as legally required, the pool company that works on his gold club pool. I'm sure a hefty part of that $14 million will be free work by the company at Trump's club. Trump never misses an opportunity to steal money. We'll never know how much he has stolen in kickbacks and free labor on his properties.

Bev54

(13,555 posts)
19. Didn't the courts shut down his ballroom construction at the end of May or beginning of June?
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 03:25 PM
2 hrs ago

Would this not be some form of contempt of court?

Deuxcents

(28,095 posts)
29. When I first started reading this, your question came to my mind..I, too, thought this project was stopped
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 04:11 PM
2 hrs ago

ChicagoTeamster

(1,439 posts)
20. How do they get away with this? Doesn't Congress have to approve the movement of funds?
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 03:32 PM
2 hrs ago

He tried doing the same thing with his wall building nonsense during his last administration.

Botany

(78,157 posts)
21. It is not a ballroom it is a Furhrer Bunker
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 03:49 PM
2 hrs ago

Es ist kein Ballsaal, es ist ein Führerbunker.

He is not planning on leaving the White House.

Btw why does an 80 year old man who can’t dance need a ballroom?

GiqueCee

(4,993 posts)
26. "There is no bottom...
Thu Jun 18, 2026, 04:03 PM
2 hrs ago

... to Trump's cesspool of malice, deceit, and depravity", is a phrase I use often to describe his latest affront to decency, honesty, and the law. And the lowlife filth that carry out his schemes are no better. But there's an especially vomit-inducing pit in Hell that will have to be enlarged to accommodate all the Republicans responsible letting him get away with all this shit.
And then there are the flames that will crisp the cojones of John Roberts as he hangs by the thumbs he put on the Scales of Justice to benefit the worst president in American history. None of Trump's predecessors even came close to the level of shame he has brought upon our country.
And God help the pissant Pollyanna that even hints at "looking forward, not back" when it comes to punishing this evil fuck and all of his enablers.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Trump administration quie...