White House Ballroom and Other Trump Projects Put at $1.8bn

Projects associated with US President Donald Trump, including a new White House ballroom and work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, are expected to cost more than 1.8 billion US dollars, according to a report issued by the Democratic minority of the US Congress Joint Economic Committee.

The committee said the estimated spending could instead fund more than 600 million school lunches, cover one month of electricity bills for about 12 million people, or pay the medical expenses of more than 88,000 veterans for one year.

The 1.8 billion US dollars could also finance the hiring of more than 27,000 school teachers or firefighters, or pay for more than 35 million tanks of petrol for a typical sedan, the report said.

Among the projects included in the calculation are construction of the White House ballroom and a no-bid contract to paint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The report also cites other projects and events associated with the Trump administration that require funding.

Trump had pledged that taxpayer money would not be used to construct the White House ballroom. The committee said funds allocated to the Secret Service were later used to pay for parts of the project.

The report also includes Trump's proposed Triumphal Arch and the planned retrofit of a Boeing 747-8 aircraft donated by Qatar for presidential use.

Maggie Hassan, a Democratic senator from New Hampshire and ranking member of the committee, criticised the spending, saying the money could instead help Americans facing high costs for rent, groceries, childcare and other necessities.

The committee has launched an interactive cost calculator allowing users to compare the estimated 1.8 billion US dollars with alternative uses, including school meals, healthcare, household electricity bills, jobs and fuel.

Source: FSX Business News