The Donald Trump administration is planning to spend at least $900 million on construction and modernisation projects across the White House grounds, a significantly higher figure than previously reported, according to an exclusive report by The Washington Post.The development comes days after a federal appeals court ordered the administration to halt construction of Trump’s proposed USD 400 million ballroom on the site of the demolished East Wing, ruling that such a major overhaul required congressional approval.According to records, confidential contracts and planning documents reviewed by The Washington Post, the administration has assembled money for the projects through transfers from other government agencies and private donations rather than seeking a direct appropriation from Congress.The funds have reportedly been routed through the White House’s Executive Residence maintenance account, which is traditionally used for routine repairs and restoration work and typically receives only a few million dollars annually.The Washington Post reported that the planned expenditure could reach at least USD 927 million and includes the East Wing project, upgrades around Lafayette Square, construction of a helipad, a new visitor screening centre and other work on the White House grounds.Public budget records show that about USD 875 million has been directed to the maintenance account since Trump returned to office, the report said.The funding reportedly includes USD 500 million transferred from the US Secret Service and the White House Military Office, while USD 305 million came from private donations.Another USD 70 million was directed to the account, though its source was not identified in the documents reviewed by the newspaper.The White House has maintained that the ballroom itself would be financed through private donations and has defended the involvement of security agencies in funding infrastructure linked to the project.The spending plans have drawn fresh scrutiny after the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled on Friday that Trump could not continue construction of the East Wing ballroom without congressional approval.The court upheld a preliminary injunction obtained by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which challenged the administration after the East Wing was demolished and work began on the proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom.“Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help,” the appeals court said.Trump has vowed to challenge the ruling before the US Supreme Court, calling the decision politically motivated and arguing that the project is necessary for White House security.The administration has not publicly disclosed the full projected cost of all the construction planned for the White House complex.
