Democrats frame Trump ballroom as symbol of Republican disconnect from voters’ affordability woes
by Richard Cowan
WASHINGTON, May 16 (Reuters) – Democrats hoping to take control of Congress in November elections are seizing on Republican support for President Donald Trump’s proposed $400 million White House ballroom to portray their party as insulated from voters’ cost-of-living concerns.
As Republicans move toward a vote that could involve hundreds of millions of dollars for the ballroom, Democrats point to a more than 50 percent increase in gasoline prices since Trump launched a war with Iran and rising healthcare, fertilizer and electricity costs that they say are worsened by his policies.
“This is a storm of ugliness,” Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota told reporters, quoting a farmer in her state.
Outside Washington, Democratic candidates are portraying the project as a distraction from the concerns of working Americans.
Brian Poindexter, a Democrat running for a House seat in northeast Ohio, said in an interview that the ballroom was “a vanity project that we don’t need.” “Many of the people I hope to serve…are worried about food, water costs, and paying rent.”
Her opponent, incumbent Republican Rep. Max Miller, did not respond to a request for comment.
Some Republicans say the ballroom is a necessary upgrade for an outdated White House and has nothing to do with the overall economy.
“It’s hard to make that connection there. It doesn’t fit,” said Republican Rep. Daniel Webster of Florida.
Others say it bodes ill for the November election, when control of the House and Senate is at stake.
“We’re talking about building a ballroom and trying to get the economy in order. The timing is bad,” Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina told CNN.
Republicans are highlighting the tax cuts they made last year as they argue they have addressed affordability concerns. But Trump himself hasn’t always stuck to that message.
“I’m not thinking about Americans’ finances. I’m not thinking about anybody,” he told reporters Tuesday when asked about the rising costs of the Iran war. He said his main concern was preventing Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle said the administration is working to make healthcare and other costs more affordable.
The funding is part of a package that will enable the Secret Service to “properly address the increasing threats of political violence in this historically escalating threat environment,” Ingle said.
RENEWAL OF WASHINGTON
Trump, a former real estate developer, has already demolished the East Wing of the White House as he makes his way to the 90,000-square-foot ballroom. It will be capable of hosting large state events currently held in tents on the South Lawn. It will be located above a fortified underground military complex.
The scale of the project and the administration’s handling of fundraising has drawn criticism from watchdog groups, which say the project raises questions about transparency, donor influence and adherence to long-standing ethical norms.
Trump said that approximately $300 million was collected for the project, but did not provide detailed information about the source of this money.
The ballroom is one of several efforts Trump is undertaking to overhaul Washington landmarks, including the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and the proposed triumphal arch near Arlington Cemetery.
Trump insisted the ballroom wouldn’t cost taxpayers a dime due to private donations and money coming out of his own pocket.
But after an armed gunman tried to crash a black-tie gala featuring Trump at a Washington hotel in April, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina called on Congress to approve $323 million in taxpayer money for the ballroom, citing security concerns.
Republicans are currently advancing legislation that would include $1 billion for presidential security, including roughly $400 million for the White House complex. A vote in the Senate is possible next week.
“We want to protect our presidents, no matter who they are, no matter what party they’re in,” said Republican Rep. Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania. “I think this construction project does that.”
Details of the legislation have not yet been made public, and it is unclear whether it will directly fund ballroom construction.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said $1 billion is needed to strengthen the Secret Service and harden the White House complex. “The ballroom is privately financed,” he said.
Democrats say the law contains no such guardrails. “If it’s not for the ballroom, they should write it right into the bill,” Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon told Reuters.
Although there will be no presidential election until 2028, Trump comes to the fore in the midterm elections to be held in November. Polls show voters disapprove of his handling of the economy, his crackdown on immigrants, his Iran war and his ballroom.
A Washington Post-ABC News poll released this month found Americans oppose the ballroom project by 56% to 28%.
In such an environment, it may be difficult for security funding to pass the Senate, where Republicans have a 53-47 majority, and the House, where a 217-212 majority gives them few votes.
“I’ve heard from residents all over the district that they don’t want their hard-earned tax dollars going into Donald Trump’s ballroom,” said Bob Harvie, a Democratic candidate running for the Pennsylvania House, noting that incumbent Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick has voted in support of the Iran war and Trump’s tariffs.
Fitzpatrick spokeswoman Casey-Lee Waldron said: “Congressman Fitzpatrick opposes the use of taxpayer money for the ballroom and will vote accordingly.”
(Reporting by Richard Cowan, additional reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Andy Sullivan and Cynthia Osterman)
