The Trump administration is set to spend at least $900 million on White House construction projects, partially funded by taxpayer dollars and proceeding without Congressional approval, according to a report from The Washington Post.

Key projects include the demolition of the East Wing and construction of a new White House ballroom, which alone is estimated to cost $600 million. Additional funds will cover gold embellishments, statues, labor, and materials. President Trump has also ordered the inclusion of an underground security complex, a helipad, and a redesign of the West Wing, where the Oval Office is located. An overhaul of Lafayette Park is further increasing the overall costs.

These large-scale projects are unusual in scope and have drawn criticism from historic preservationists and former officials who argue that proper reviews to protect the White House grounds from permanent damage have not been conducted.

Last week, a federal appeals court temporarily halted the construction for two weeks to allow the government to appeal a ruling blocking the ballroom’s development to the Supreme Court.

A statement noted, “We are aware of no instance in American history in which a President unilaterally and using privately collected funds demolished substantial portions of the White House that Congress authorized to be built and American taxpayers paid for.”

The White House Military Office and the United States Secret Service have been involved in coordinating design features and planning for the ballroom project, according to a press release cited by The Hill.

Additionally, the White House plans to invest in security hardening measures, including bulletproof glass, drone detection technologies, chemical and other threat filtration and detection systems, as detailed in a request previously sent to Congress and obtained by PBS News Hour.

Sources