Citing internal documents from Clark Construction, The Washington Post reported that, in March, the contractor estimated the ballroom’s total cost at $600 million — $200 million more than the figure shared by the White House.
The Washington Post also reported that while Trump had repeatedly said that no taxpayer money would be used to fund the ballroom, Clark Construction estimates showed that over half of the $600 million total construction cost was marked as coming from taxpayer-funded sources, including the US Secret Service, the White House Military Office, and the Executive Residence.
White House spokesman David Ingle told Business Insider that the initial press release announcing the construction of the ballroom had noted the project’s coordination with the White House Military Office and the Secret Service.
“President Trump and generous American patriots are funding the ballroom to the tune of approximately $400 million, which will be a secure and appropriate venue for Presidents for generations to come,” Ingle said.
A senior Trump administration official told Business Insider that while the ballroom “will be built with private donations the president has secured,” security upgrades to the White House complex, totaling $385.8 million, will be apportioned as part of an interagency agreement.
“The administration and the president have been very clear about the need for additional security at the White House complex and the role the Secret Service, in addition to other White House components, will play in supporting the necessary security elements for the White House complex, including a new visitor screening center and other campus hardening measures,” the senior official said.
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