President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that his ballroom project has “doubled” in size.
Speaking to the press before departing the White House for a visit to China, the president defended the fluctuating cost of the ballroom project.
“We have a ballroom that’s under budget,” Trump told reporters on the South Lawn. “It’s going up right here. I’ve doubled the size of it because we obviously need that, and we’re right now on budget, under budget, and ahead of schedule.”
When pressed on his response, Trump snapped at the reporter: “I doubled the size of it, you dumb person. You are not a smart person.”
The White House did not respond to a request for clarification.
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Trump’s announcement coincides with Senate Republicans coming under pressure for the conference’s proposal to appropriate $1 billion in taxpayer dollars for security components of the ballroom project after the assassination attempt during last month’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
Trump originally told reporters last July the ballroom, which replaced the White House East Wing, would cost $200 million and be privately funded, before increasing that estimate to $300 million in October 2025 and then to $400 million in December.