The Daily Beast Latest Articles | Trump’s Secret Agreement for His Tacky Ballroom Revealed by Leigh Kimmins

AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information.

The Washington Post reports that President Donald Trump approved a secretive, multimillion‑dollar White House ballroom renovation, knowing two months in advance that the East Wing would be demolished but not disclosing the plan publicly; construction began in September and a contract was signed in early October just before demolition started. Public Citizen sued to obtain the contract after the National Park Service and Interior Department ignored records requests, and a judge called the arrangement a “Rube Goldberg contraption” designed to evade congressional oversight. The agreement exempts the president, White House officials, and executive agencies from conflict‑of‑interest reviews, allowing dozens of major donors—including Amazon, Lockheed Martin, Palantir, and Google—to contribute anonymously despite holding billions in federal contracts. Critics such as Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal, law professor Kathleen Clark, and former congressional contractor Charles Tiefer say the anonymity and procedural loopholes are intended to hide improper influence, while the White House claims the “historic beautification” project is being funded entirely by private donations—estimated at $300 million—and costs no taxpayer money. An appeals court has allowed construction to continue while litigation proceeds.

Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-secret-agreement-for-his-tacky-ballroom-revealed/

#DonaldTrump #ElizabethWarren #RichardBlumenthal #LockheedMartin #PublicCitizen #CharlesTiefer #KathleenClark #JonGolinger #DavisIngle #RubeGoldberg

AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information.

Home - CBSNews.com | Contract reveals fundraising deal for Trump's East Wing overhaul

AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information.

The article reports that a 14‑page agreement signed in October 2025 between the White House, the National Park Service and the nonprofit Trust for the National Mall details how private donations are being used to finance a $400 million overhaul of the White House East Wing. The contract authorizes the Trust to collect enough funds to cover all project costs, taking a 2.5 % fee (dropping to 2 % for amounts over $200 million) and preserving donor anonymity, though it must vet large donors for legal or business conflicts with the federal government. The arrangement, revealed by Public Citizen and described by CBS News, shows that donations—some from companies like Amazon—are earmarked for the East Wing modernization and State Ballroom, which includes new office space, a theater, kitchen, colonnade and an underground bunker, while the Trust’s role is limited to managing funds. Legal challenges have emerged: a district judge ordered a halt to above‑ground construction pending congressional approval, though an appellate court allowed work to continue through early June, and the judge has criticized the funding mechanism as overly complex.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-east-wing-ballroom-contract-fundraising/

#Trump #WhiteHouse #NationalParkService #PublicCitizen #Amazon #DonaldTrump #RichardLeon

AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information.

The National Capital Planning Commission met Thursday and Trump’s appointees voted to approve his ballroom plans.

Meanwhile, a federal judge ruled the project is illegal because the shocking demolition of the East Wing and construction of a ballroom nearly twice the size of the main White House was not authorized by the Constitution or by Congress.

The ruling means Congress must now vote YES or NO on Trump’s Ballroom.

#WhiteHouseBallroom #PublicCitizen #Petition

https://donate.citizen.org/page/59738/donate/1

Attorney General (AG) is our nation’s top law enforcement position. The AG leads a Department of Justice that is supposed to be an independent force for upholding the rule of law and prosecuting those who commit federal crimes. Donald Trump seems to think the AG, DOJ, and FBI are his personal attack dogs. Tell your Senators: Do not confirm another AG nominee who supports Trump’s election denialism and retaliatory prosecutions.

#DOJ #PublicCitizen #Petition

https://act.citizen.org/page/96237/petition/1

#WOW... "This sounds like a person who tends to treat himself #Royally off the dime of his political #Donors," said Craig Holman, a lobbyist for campaign finance reform organization #PublicCitizen

THANK YOU FOR YOUR POLITICAL DONATIONS: The "lavish" life of "Limousine Lawler"

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE IS LIVING LARGE: New York congressman blew $150k in campaign funds on #Limos, #RitzCarlton stays, #PrivateBoatCharters and #SteakhouseDinners

The #NewYork congressman....

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15632041/mike-lawler-campaign-spending-new-york-limousine.html

Austin boosts lobbyist transparency, but relies on self-reporting

When paid lobbyists try to influence Austin’s elected officials, new rules taking effect next week aim to bring more of those efforts into the open -- but critics warn one change could do the opposite.

https://www.kxan.com/investigations/austin-boosts-lobbyist-transparency-but-relies-on-self-reporting/

#Investigations #Austin #Local #News #TopStories #CityCouncil #Lobbyist #PublicCitizen #Transparency

Prevent Trump From Taking Unilateral Military Action Against Iran

Donald Trump seems hell-bent on going to war in Iran. Congress has a tool—the War Powers Resolution—to proactively limit military action against another country without congressional approval.

To Congress:
Pass a War Powers Resolution without delay to prevent the Trump regime from taking military action against Iran unless explicitly authorized by Congress.

#PublicCitizen #Petition

https://act.citizen.org/page/94422/petition/1

Tell Congress: Investigate Pam Bondi’s Ethical Failures

Pam Bondi’s conflicts of interest as Attorney General are numerous and severe. Her abrupt firing of the ethics watchdog at the Department of Justice suggests there may be even more or even worse ethics problems she is trying to hide. The American people are calling on Congress to investigate any conflicts of interest and ethical failures on the part of Pam Bondi.

#PamBondi #PublicCitizen #Petition

https://act.citizen.org/page/85758/petition/1

#PublicCitizen #LawSuits #TFGAdministration

https://www.citizen.org/topic/making-government-work/?s_post_type=litigation#work

LAWSUIT #29 — TRUMP’S GILDED BALLROOM
DATE FILED: December 22, 2025
WHY WE SUED: To force the administration to release records related to the construction of a gilded ballroom where the East Wing of the White House stood until Trump had it demolished.
BACKGROUND: In October of 2025, Trump had the entire East Wing of the White House demolished. In its place, he intends to erect a humongous gilded ballroom — the estimated cost of which was initially $200 million, then $300 million, and now $400 million. (Don’t be surprised if it rises to a billion or more before all is said and done.) All so Trump can curry favor with billionaire CEOs and try to impress the authoritarian foreign leaders he longs to emulate. Two days after demolition of the East Wing began, Public Citizen — under the Freedom of Information Act — called for the administration to release the contract for the construction of the ballroom. In defiance of the law, Trump officials have refused to do so. So we took them to court.
WHERE THINGS STAND: The administration’s response to our lawsuit is due later in February.