Tim Walz slams Trump over $250M White House ballroom project amid government shutdown

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is drawing criticism for claiming the Trump administration’s high precedence is constructing a brand new $250 million ballroom to exchange the East Wing of the White Home as the federal government shutdown approaches its first month.

On Monday, Walz introduced a plan to supply $4 million in emergency funding to assist meals cabinets, whereas blaming President Donald Trump and Republicans for the continued shutdown.

He cited feedback from White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

“They’re selecting to not fund these applications… and when the White Home press secretary stated the ballroom is the highest precedence, we could not disagree extra,” Walz stated.

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Nevertheless, Leavitt’s feedback got here as a reporter requested whether or not Trump was contemplating some other renovations or main tasks on the White Home, other than the ballroom and Rose Backyard patio.

“Not that I do know of, no, however he’s clearly a builder at coronary heart, and so his coronary heart and his thoughts are at all times considering of how to make issues higher right here on the White Home grounds,” Leavitt stated. “However proper now, after all, the ballroom is de facto the president’s important precedence.”

The Republican Nationwide Committee stated Walz “shamelessly perpetuated Democrats’ lie about Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.”

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz reiterated the declare that the Trump administration’s high precedence is constructing a multimillion-dollar White Home ballroom amid the continued authorities shutdown. (Abbie Parr/AP Picture)

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On Tuesday, Leavitt posted on X: “Cease mendacity, Tampon Tim.”

Fox Information Digital has contacted Walz’s workplace for remark.

EXPANSIVE $250M NEW WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM TO BE PAID BY TRUMP AND DONORS

An excavator works to clear particles after the East Wing of the White Home was demolished on October 23, 2025 in Washington, DC (Eric Lee/Getty Photos)

Different Democrats have additionally accused Trump of prioritizing the ballroom as a substitute of points essential to voters.

“The Trump Administration has simply declared that establishing a ballroom is the President’s high precedence,” Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries wrote of X in response to Leavitt’s feedback. “In the meantime, the price of dwelling is way too excessive and the Republican well being care disaster threatens thousands and thousands of People.”

PolitiFact, a fact-checking web site that assesses the veracity of claims made by elected officers, famous that his assertion was false.

A rendering by McCrery Architects supplied by the White Home of the brand new ballroom. (The White Home)

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Development of a brand new formal ballroom has change into a political lightning rod, regardless of the price being collectively funded by Trump and personal donors, not taxpayers.

The brand new ballroom will accommodate about 650 seated visitors and can keep true to the basic White Home design, Leavitt stated in July.