Trump administration set to spend at least $900M on White House projects, covered mostly by taxpayers

The Trump administration plans to spend at least $900 million for construction projects on the White House grounds, a significantly larger price tag than has been previously reported and one that would be covered primarily by taxpayers, according to records reviewed by The Washington Post. A federal appeals court struck a blow to Trump's plans on Friday, ruling that the administration needed congressional approval to continue building the East Wing ballroom. Trump vowed to appeal the ruling, which applied only to the ballroom, setting up a Supreme Court battle over the limits of his authority to remake the White House. "Congress has exclusive authority to regulate the construction and demolition of White House structures," Judges Patricia A. Millett and Bradley N. Garcia wrote in the accompanying opinion. The Post previously reported that the projected cost of the East Wing construction alone was $600 million, with half coming from taxpayers. The confidential contracting documents include the costs of upgrades to nearby Lafayette Square, construction of a helipad, a new visitor screening center and other previously reported projects that would drive the total cost of work on the grounds to at least $927 million. In recent years, Congress has appropriated $2.5 million annually to its maintenance account, known as 'White House Repair and Restoration.' Since Trump took office, the administration has directed $875 million to that account, public budget records show. To assemble funding in that account, the White House budget office authorized a series of transfers from the U.S. Secret Service and the White House Military Office totaling $500 million, planning and budget documents indicate, while an additional $305 million came from private donations. The documents reviewed by The Post show another $70 million directed to that account but do not identify the source. Most of the $415 million in Secret Service funding was directed to the account in June after Trump allies on Capitol Hill were unable to pass legislation that would have allocated $400 million toward the East Wing and the visitor screening facility. Ingle, the White House spokesman, told The Post that the ballroom itself would be paid for by $400 million in private donations and that it was appropriate for the Secret Service and the White House Military Office to be involved in providing security infrastructure on the campus. The White House did not answer questions from The Post about the source of all the funding or the total cost of the planned work.