Nearly two months ago, the White House announced plans to spend $200 million to build a large banquet hall. This massive renovation plan for the White House has sparked widespread attention and controversy, with one of the focal points being the source of its funding.
Over the past few days, this renovation plan has seen new progress. According to reports from CCTV News and other media outlets, Trump stated on the 20th that a luxurious renovation project would be built in the East Wing of the White House. Construction on the banquet hall has begun. On October 23 local time, reports indicated that the East Wing of the White House had been completely demolished.
The Trump administration had previously stated that the banquet hall would be funded by Trump and other private donors. According to Trump, the hall, which spans over 8,300 square meters and can accommodate approximately 1,000 guests, will replace the temporary tents previously erected on the South Lawn of the White House for large events.
The White House recently released a list of donors to the banquet hall that Trump is currently building. The list includes several well-known companies, including Apple. Amazon Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Google, cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, and internet company Comcast And Meta, etc.
Other major donors include the Taylor and Cameron Winklerworth brothers, co-founders of cryptocurrency exchange Gemini; U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and his family; and the Las Vegas Sands Corporation. The Adelson family, etc.
Although the White House did not disclose the specific amounts donated by the donors, Trump said on the 23rd that the construction costs of the White House banquet hall would be covered by donations from his friends and himself, and that $350 million had been received so far.
As the White House pushes forward with its lavish banquet hall project, the US government shutdown continues. On October 23, local time, the US federal government shutdown entered its 23rd day, and its social impact continues to expand.
Democratic lawmakers and other critics launched a fierce attack on Trump over the banquet hall project, accusing him of undertaking massive construction projects while the federal government was shut down and people's livelihoods were being impacted, ignoring public demands, disrespecting historic buildings, and "ruining" the White House.
In response to criticism of the construction of a lavish banquet hall at the White House, the White House issued a statement on the 21st, sarcastically referring to the critics as "mentally deranged leftists and their fake news allies," saying that this "bold and necessary" expansion project had driven them "crazy." The statement then listed a record of renovations, expansions, and alterations to the White House by several US presidents throughout history.
(Article source: CLS)
