Trump's $400M White House Ballroom Project Faces Public Disapproval Ahead of Midterms

Key facts

• The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that construction of the ballroom can continue, overturning a federal appeals court ruling that had stopped work due to lack of congressional approval.
• The project costs $400 million (€344 million) and is located where the East Wing of the White House used to stand.
• A July poll by The Washington Post and Ipsos found 65% of respondents dissatisfied with the ballroom and other vanity projects.
• Trump's approval rating plummeted to a record low of about 33% in August.
• Politifact found Trump mentioned his Washington construction projects at 84 public events since January, devoting nearly 45,000 words to them.
• Trump has devoted more words to construction projects than to foreign policy (41,655) or the economy (39,744), but less than to Iran (nearly 56,000).
• The ballroom will cover 8,360 square meters, go six storeys deep, and include bomb shelters, medical facilities, a drone-proof roof, and protections against missiles and biohazards.
• Trump's motivations for the project have shifted: initially for hosting dignitaries, then as security after a foiled attack at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in April, and now he calls it 'the greatest military-complex-slash-ballroom anywhere in the world.'
• Pew Research Center found voters prioritize the economy (29%) and cost of living (15%) over such projects.
• On Wednesday evening, Trump reassured Republicans he would campaign in battleground seats ahead of the midterms.