Supreme Court Greenlights Elitist, Corporate-Funded White House Ballroom Boondoggle Costing $400 Million
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The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily allowed the construction of a lavish new White House ballroom, a project championed by President Donald Trump and funded by wealthy private donors and corporations, with a staggering $400 million price tag.
President Donald Trump has declared that a new, extravagant ballroom at the White House will cost nearly $400 million, funded entirely by private donors and corporations—further entrenching the influence of the ultra-wealthy and big business in American politics, all while ordinary citizens are told there’s no money for healthcare or education. Trump, as usual, refused to immediately disclose which corporations are buying influence with their donations.
The Supreme Court’s temporary order, overturning lower-court rulings that sought to halt construction due to lack of congressional oversight, is a blatant example of the judiciary siding with executive overreach and corporate interests. Trump’s public thanks to the Court and the chief justice only highlight the cozy relationship between the administration and a conservative-leaning judiciary, as they push forward a vanity project with no public accountability.
While the administration claims the president can unilaterally alter federal properties in the name of ‘national security,’ the National Trust for Historic Preservation has rightly pointed out that Trump lacks the authority to bulldoze historic sites for personal aggrandizement. Legal counsel for the Trust condemned the White House’s rush to circumvent judicial review, calling out their attempt to “outrun the courts.”
The Supreme Court will eventually rule on whether this monument to excess and corporate power can continue as the broader legal battle unfolds.