President Donald Trump is reportedly obsessing over making his deliberate White Home ballroom far bigger than the mission’s architect recommends, whilst Individuals wrestle to afford meals and electrical energy because the financial system slows.
In line with The Washington Publish, Trump has been clashing behind the scenes with architect James McCrery in regards to the measurement of the ballroom, with Trump pushing for the addition to be 90,000 sq. toes—almost double the 55,000-square-foot White Home.
Golden adornments are seen on the surface of the White Home.
A number of administration officers have privately admitted that Trump is micromanaging the mission, to the extent {that a} mannequin of the ballroom is now prominently featured within the Oval Workplace, the Publish studies.
Trump has circumvented the normal approval course of for a significant development mission of this nature, which has concerned the destruction of one in every of America’s most iconic constructions. He did not submit development plans to the Nationwide Capital Planning Fee, which is tasked by Congress with oversight of federal initiatives.
Regardless of his disregard for this requirement, it’s vital to do not forget that Trump doesn’t personal the White Home; the American individuals do.
Trump beforehand mentioned his want for the ballroom to resemble his cheesy, gold-covered Mar-a-Lago property—just like his remedy of the remainder of the White Home. Not solely does the Oval Workplace now resemble a Las Vegas on line casino, however there’s even gold-painted signage on the outside of the White Home—and it seems terrible.
The cheesy transformation of the White Home—which is being carried out on the taxpayer’s dime—was hailed by press secretary Karoline Leavitt as “the Golden Office for the Golden Age.”
However issues are lower than golden for the typical taxpayer.

Volunteers load groceries into carts for households at a meals pantry in Hawaii on Nov. 10.
Individuals are confronted with rising meals costs, partly due to Trump’s idiotic tariffs. Datasembly analyzed meals prices at 150,000 shops and found that the prices for a group of 11 staples used for Thanksgiving meals is up 4.1% over 2024. The Bureau of Labor Statistics additionally reported that general prices for meals eaten at residence are up 2.7% from final yr.
Trump campaigned in 2024 on decreasing meals costs on “Day 1” of his presidency. As an alternative, issues value extra now than they did beneath former President Joe Biden.
Concurrently, electrical energy costs are going up, fueled by progress in AI knowledge facilities. As an alternative of conducting oversight of AI firms, the Trump administration has been attempting to avoid regulation of the business.
Trump has proven a tin ear for the issues Individuals are dealing with. He lately bragged in regards to the elevated prices his tariffs are including to shopper items, touting “record-setting” tariff income. These prices are being handed on to customers, who aren’t obsessing over outsized golden ballrooms.
The web results of Trump’s financial system is a downward pattern in shopper confidence. However that received’t matter when Trump is sitting comfortably in his new, monumental ballroom.