The Trump administration’s budget office redirected $352 million meant partly for Secret Service training and recruitment to what it called security measures at the White House. The Washington Post reported that this funding shift is to help pay for a new White House East Wing, including a large ballroom.
A White House spokesman said in a statement to the Post that the “the East Wing Modernization Project is inextricably tied to the security of the President, the White House grounds and the certain security infrastructure assets.”
Trump has previously said the ballroom project will cost $400 million, and that private donors will fund it. Earlier this week, though, the Washington Post reported the contractor overseeing the project told the White House the actual expected cost is $600 million. More than half of that is coming from taxpayers, according to the Post.
