Trump presents the future White House ballroom as his “gift” to the country
The Republican president offered the media a tour of the works on the White House ballroom, the cost of which has generated controversy.
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, assured this Tuesday that the construction of a large ballroom in the White House is being financed with his own money and that of donors, and affirmed that it is a “gift” for the country.
The Republican offered a tour to the press of the works on the ballroom, the cost of which has generated controversy, since it was projected with a budget of 200 million dollars and now amounts to 400 million.
“All of this was paid for by myself,” said Trump, who denied that the works were financed with American taxpayer money. "It is a gift to the United States, and more than a gift. It is going to be one of the most beautiful buildings that has ever been built in the country," he added.
Congressional Republicans tried to approve a $1 billion allocation for the Secret Service tasked with providing security at the ballroom, but the Senate parliamentarian rejected the proposal last week. Trump said this Tuesday that he has no details on the matter.
The ballroom, with capacity for about a thousand people, will be built in the place where the East Wing of the presidential residence was located, which the president ordered demolished last year, which has provoked complaints from groups defending historical heritage.
As the hammer was heard, Trump explained that the design of the new building is inspired by “different parts of the world from very glamorous times,” such as the Roman Empire or ancient Greece, in whose architecture, he said, many “triangles” were used.
In addition, he explained that the roof of the building will be designed to allow the presence of military personnel in charge of reinforcing the security of the facility.
The facilities will also have a military hospital and a research center, he added.
Trump, a former real estate magnate, has set out to leave his mark in Washington and has undertaken several projects, such as the renovation of the famous Lincoln Memorial pond, which he is painting blue, or the construction of a large triumphal arch to commemorate the 250 years of the independence of the United States. EFE