President Donald Trump praised the U.S. Supreme Court Friday after Chief Justice John Roberts decided his $400+ million ballroom project could continue on a provisional basis, pending an actual Supreme Court decision.
“We are grateful for the Decision of the United States Supreme Court,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
The president then proceeded to describe the White House as “hallowed,” despite unilaterally — and possibly illegally — demolishing the entire East Wing after having previously promised not to touch it.
“The Military/Ballroom Complex being built on the hallowed grounds of the White House, which is so vital for National Security, will be THE GREATEST OF ITS KIND!” Trump said.
Bafflingly, the president also claimed that his project is the fulfillment of presidents’ wishes from 150 years ago.
Were that true, it would predate the East Wing, which was expanded into a two-story structure during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration in 1942.
“It is something that Presidents have wanted for 150 years, and that the Military has been seeking for the last 100 years,” Trump asserted. “Their wish will soon be fulfilled!”
Trump ended the missive with yet another whopper: “Construction is under budget and ahead of schedule.”
The price tag for Trump’s ballroom has exploded since he plowed ahead on the project, from an initial $200 million, all of which he claimed would be privately funded, to $600 million last month, with taxpayers footing half the bill.
In May, Senate Republicans briefly earmarked $1 billion for the project, including for “security adjustments and upgrades” to the building.