This story appeared in The Logoff, a day by day publication that helps you keep knowledgeable in regards to the Trump administration with out letting political information take over your life. Subscribe right here.
Welcome to The Logoff: You’re paying for Donald Trump’s ballroom. And it’s getting much more costly.
What’s taking place? That is removed from the primary time The Logoff has written in regards to the ballroom Trump is presently constructing on the positioning of the demolished East Wing of the White Home — however bear with me.
On Tuesday, the Washington Put up reported new particulars in regards to the construction’s price and funding, together with an estimated price ticket of $600 million. Of that, greater than half will reportedly be taxpayer {dollars} — not, as Trump has beforehand promised, cash raised fully from non-public donors.
The brand new price ticket can also be (one other) important leap in price. When Trump first introduced plans for a ballroom, he stated it will price $200 million — then $300 million, then $400 million. Now, it’s tripled in value.
What’s the context? Trump has already tried as soon as earlier than to get taxpayers to fund the ballroom: In Might, proposed textual content of a Senate immigration funding invoice contained $1 billion tucked away for an “East Wing Modernization Mission” — the ballroom. That cash was later stripped from the invoice, nonetheless.
Why is the ballroom so costly? Primarily based on Trump’s remarks, the ballroom’s deliberate safety footprint (and its general dimension) has grown considerably over time. It’s going to now, in line with Trump, embody a “huge” subterranean army complicated and a hospital, in addition to “the best drone empire that you just’ve ever seen.”
And with that, it’s time to log out…
I appreciated this reminder from my colleague Jonquilyn Hill that writing issues by hand is nice for our brains and we must always take the time to do it extra usually. (I promised my editor I gained’t begin submitting this text in longhand, although.)
Thanks for studying, have a terrific night, and we’ll see you again right here tomorrow!
