INTERNACIONAL
Republicans question Trump’s ‘privately funded’ ballroom after report points to taxpayer burden
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
President Donald Trump’s colossal ballroom could be backed by hundreds of millions in taxpayer money, and after months of the president declaring that it was completely privately funded, lawmakers aren’t happy.
A report from the Washington Post found that estimates for Trump’s 90,000-square-foot ballroom had skyrocketed to $600 million. Of that, about half would come from taxpayer-funded sources.
Both Republicans and Democrats had already drawn a sharp line against dipping into taxpayer funds to pay for the project earlier this year when confronted with tacking on roughly $220 million in security enhancement funding for the ballroom through budget reconciliation.
TRUMP DEMANDS SENATE PARLIAMENTARIAN’S OUSTER FOR AXING BALLROOM SECURITY FUNDING
President Donald Trump holds a design rendering of a proposed $400 million presidential ballroom at the White House. (Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg)
«We have to have a serious conversation about the benefit to the taxpayers, right? If taxpayers aren’t paying for it, it’s a different bar, but if they’re paying for it, we have to have a totally different conversation,» Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, said. «Is that how they want their money spent?»
The Post’s report, published Tuesday, reviewed documents between the White House and Clark Construction, a McLean, Va.-based company leading the construction of the ballroom, dating back over the last several months.
A project summary from March 5 detailed that the ballroom, which Trump initially said would cost $100 million, would clock in at $600 million.
Of that, $293 million was expected to come from private donors. The remaining $307 million was to come from the Secret Service, White House Military Office and Executive Residence. All three are funded by taxpayers.
SENATE REPUBLICAN THREATENS TO DERAIL ICE, BORDER PATROL PACKAGE OVER TRUMP’S BILLION-DOLLAR REQUEST
When asked the veracity of the reported figures, Clark Construction referred Fox News Digital to the White House and noted that all project information was confidential.
White House spokesman Davis Ingle did not deny the figures in a statement and said, «The East Wing Modernization Project is inextricably tied to the security of the president, the White House grounds and the certain security infrastructure assets.»
«The press release announcing the construction of the ballroom highlighted coordination with the White House Military Office and the United States Secret Service regarding design features and planning,» Ingle said. «President Trump and generous American patriots are funding the ballroom to the tune of approximately $400 million, which will be a secure and appropriate venue for presidents for generations to come.»
«The events over the weekend and the foiled attempted attack on the historic UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House proves exactly why the East Wing Modernization Project is severely needed for large-scale events, which include drone proof structures and drone ports among other critical security enhancements,» he continued.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he had not yet seen the report but noted that it would be a «different narrative than what we’ve heard.»
SENATE REPUBLICANS BALK AT $1B WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM REQUEST: ‘YOU MADE THAT NUMBER UP’
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Republicans advanced a Trump-backed funding deal out of the Senate with the help of Senate Democrats in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 28, 2028. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu)
«I think there’s a rationale, particularly when it comes to the security parts of this to keep that place safe we need to be responsible for,» Thune said. «I just don’t know enough about how it’s being used — what it’s being used for.»
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said he would prefer the ballroom to be paid for with private funding but was open to dipping into taxpayer dollars if the goal was to «make it safer, protect the president.»
When asked if he or other Republicans were contacted by the White House about the use of taxpayer money for the ballroom, Scott said, «No.»
«You’d have to, and you know you’d think it’d have to come up over here for funding, and I haven’t seen anything yet,» Scott said.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said lawmakers had seen this situation before with another project: the renovations to the Federal Reserve’s headquarters going over budget that spurred, in part, a public feud with former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
«I think when you move quickly, that’s when mistakes are made,» Tillis said.
«It’s not surprising that the estimates were up. I have the same view about the Arch,» he continued, referring to Trump’s proposed United States Triumphal Arch. «You know, we think it’s gonna be $25 million. I don’t know what the number is right now, but my guess is it’s gonna be a lot more than that.»
«And we ought to be very thoughtful, go through the process versus fitting things into arbitrary timeframes,» he added. «Never works out.»
Some Republicans shrugged off the report, largely because it was produced by the Washington Post.
Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, said, «You lost me at Washington Post.»
«I have no idea,» Moreno said. «Do I trust the Washington Post? No, but it does — when you have a cat litter situation, and you don’t want it to spill, newspapers serve a really good purpose.»
politics, costs, national security, white house, republicans elections, donald trump
INTERNACIONAL
Rusia lanzó una tercera oleada de misiles balísticos contra Kiev en menos de una semana: al menos 11 heridos
Al menos 11 personas, incluido un niño, resultaron heridos en Kiev tras un nuevo ataque ruso contra la capital. Es la tercera vez en la semana que Moscú ataca deliberadamente la capital del país. El alcalde, Vitali Klitschko, señaló que cuatro de las víctimas están hospitalizadas en centros sanitarios de la ciudad. Las demás fueron atendidas en el lugar por los médicos.
Las autoridades registraron impactos e incendios en los distritos de Solomianskyi, Darnytskyi y Dniprovskyi. En Solomianskyi, un incendio se desató tras el impacto en un edificio de oficinas y almacenes de tres plantas. El Servicio Estatal de Emergencias de Ucrania informó horas más tarde que el fuego fue extinguido. Además, una locomotora ferroviaria resultó dañada por la onda expansiva. En Darnytskyi, un proyectil impactó en la calzada, provocó el incendio de un cuadro de control de semáforos y la explosión de ventanas en edificios residenciales cercanos. Dniprovskyi sufrió un incendio en la zona de edificios no residenciales
“El enemigo está atacando la capital con misiles. ¡Por favor, permanezcan en lugares seguros!”, informó durante la madrugada de este domingo (horario local) el jefe de la administración militar, Tymur Tkachenko, vía redes sociales antes del primer estruendo que generó pánico entre los habitantes de Kiev.
Los periodistas en la ciudad reportaron al menos cinco explosiones, luego de que las autoridades advirtieran sobre el ataque. Las sirenas de alarma aérea comenzaron a sonar minutos después de la primera detonación, de acuerdo con los testigos.
“En el distrito de Dnipro, estamos registrando las consecuencias del ataque. Un edificio civil no residencial resultó dañado en el distrito de Svyatoshyn como consecuencia del ataque. Estamos esclareciendo los detalles”, agregó Tkachenko en otro mensaje.
El pasado 8 de julio, tropas rusas atacaron los distritos de Svyatoshynskyi y Desnyanskyi en Kiev utilizando drones y misiles. Como resultado, tres personas murieron y 16 resultaron heridas.
En medio de los ataques casi diarios del Kremlin, Ucrania creará un comando de “impacto de largo alcance” dentro de sus fuerzas armadas, según anunció el presidente Volodimir Zelensky, en momentos en que la campaña de Kiev contra la infraestructura energética y logística rusa obligó a Moscú a prohibir exportaciones de diésel y restringir el transporte marítimo cerca del mar de Azov, que conecta con el mar Negro.
Desde hace meses, drones de ataque ucranianos golpean infraestructuras energéticas clave a miles de kilómetros dentro de Rusia, en una estrategia que Kiev presenta como sanciones de largo alcance contra el principal financiador del presupuesto estatal ruso. En las últimas semanas, Ucrania reportó ataques casi diarios, y las autoridades insisten en que consideran legítimo llevar la guerra al territorio ruso, más de cuatro años después del inicio de la invasión a gran escala.
“Hoy firmé un decreto que establece un comando especial dentro de las Fuerzas Armadas, un comando destinado a tener un impacto a largo plazo y, en efecto, global sobre Rusia en respuesta a esta guerra”, anunció Zelensky en su mensaje vespertino a la nación.
Cabe subrayar que al menos 265 civiles murieron y 1.816 personas resultaron heridas en Ucrania durante junio a causa de los ataques lanzados por el Kremlin, según informó el jueves Naciones Unidas. Esta cifra constituye el mayor número combinado de víctimas civiles en un solo mes desde las primeras etapas de la invasión a gran escala iniciada por Moscú en febrero de 2022.
La advertencia fue presentada ante el Consejo de Seguridad por la secretaria general adjunta de la ONU para Asuntos Políticos, Rosemary DiCarlo, quien señaló que los datos de la Oficina del Alto Comisionado para los Derechos Humanos (ACNUDH) muestran un aumento sostenido del impacto de la guerra sobre la población civil.
Media,Social,Europe
INTERNACIONAL
Mexico vows US will pay after ICE fatally shoots illegal migrant who allegedly attempted to ram agent with car
Mexico questions FBI role in Sinaloa Cartel abduction
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum strongly criticizes the U.S. government for its alleged involvement in the 2024 abduction of former Sinaloa Cartel boss ‘El Mayo’ Zambada. Sheinbaum explicitly states the U.S. lied about its participation, claiming a violation of Mexican sovereignty. This incident raises serious questions about diplomatic relations between the two nations and American intervention in Mexico.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum vowed to pursue «significant legal measures» against the United States after a Mexican national was fatally shot during an ICE operation in Texas.
Mexican officials counted 17 cases of Mexican nationals who have died in U.S. immigration custody, while Sheinbaum focused on Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, an illegal migrant who has lived in the United States for decades.
DHS officials claimed Araujo was the subject of an ICE arrest operation when an agent shot him in self-defense because he allegedly ignored orders and allegedly attempted to ram the agent.
ICE SAYS OFFICER SHOT AND KILLED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO TRIED TO RAM HIM WITH CAR IN HOUSTON
During Sheinbaum’s daily «Mañanera del Pueblo» press availability in Mexico City, she laid out her planned escalation of objections against U.S. immigration enforcement’s behavior.
«Our goal is to go beyond diplomatic notes and the representations we made to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. We cannot tolerate the mistreatment of our fellow citizens, our brothers and sisters, in the United States. So, we are proposing further measures,» Sheinbaum said in Spanish.
Sheinbaum said the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs will present the measures to Washington, and commented on Araujo’s death.
ICE AGENTS IN FATAL HOUSTON SHOOTING WERE NOT WEARING BODY CAMERAS, SOURCES SAY
Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum, left, listens to President Donald Trump, right. (Mandel Ngan/Getty Images)
«This occurred in the context of detention, even though their only offense was lacking documentation — and this despite having been hired by a U.S. company.»
She said the U.S. has no reason to hold people like Araujo in detention or allegedly «subject [them] to violence.»
«We are therefore preparing, obviously, more significant legal measures.»
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLANS NEW ICE HOLDING FACILITY NEAR LOUISIANA DEPORTATION FLIGHT HUB
On Thursday, Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco said he is requesting criminal charges be brought in connection with the 17 Mexican nationals who died in U.S. custody, according to the AP, which reported the requests will be sent to the Justice Department and various state attorneys general.
Multiple reports suggested Sheinbaum’s demands would have no legal effect in U.S. courts.
Mexico City has claimed 14 of the 17 died in custody while three have been killed during active DHS operations, according to the outlet.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department and DHS for comment. The White House directed Fox News Digital to DHS.
Araujo, 52, was reportedly transporting workers to a jobsite for a homebuilding company in the Magnolia Park section of Houston.
As critics disputed the government’s recounting of events, objections arose over the lack of bodycams on the agents on-scene.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is seen. (Daniel Cardenas/Getty Images)
A DHS spokesperson defended the agents, telling Fox News they had not been issued body-worn cameras because of the repercussions of the Democrat-backed agency shutdown earlier this year.
«The process of purchasing and issuing body-worn cameras to all of our ICE field offices was interrupted by the Democrats multiple government shutdowns. Body cameras have been deployed to more than half the field offices, with the remaining half to receive them in the next 60 days,» a spokesperson said, while noting a 1,300% increase in assaults against agents during the same period.
Meanwhile, advocacy group Voto Latino condemned the Araujo incident, saying that the Mexican national should still be alive.
SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, left, speaks with President Donald J. Trump, right. (Mandel Ngan/Getty Images)
«His story is the embodiment of what it means to seek the American Dream — the same dream that drives so many of us to call this nation home. Lorenzo called the United States home for nearly 35 years, and his family deserves immediate answers that come from a completely independent process, not from the very agency that upended their lives,» Voto Latino executive director Beatriz Lopez said in a statement, which also called for Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s resignation.
Asked about Sheinbaum’s warning, an ICE spokesperson defended the agency and the accounting of events depicting Araujo as trying to hit an agent.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
«[He] refused to follow multiple verbal commands, and weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer resulting in our officer firing his weapon in self-defense,» the spokesperson said.
«DHS-OIG is leading an investigation into the agent-involved shooting. FBI Houston is leading an investigation into the potential assault on a federal law enforcement officer. This is a developing situation, and we will update the public when more information is available.»
Fox News’ Brooke Taylor and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
mexico, justice department, latino, deportation, homeland security, immigration, white house, donald trump, texas
El oficialismo no reúne los votos para eliminar las PASO y los aliados se alejan de las colectoras
Crecen las dudas y resistencias por el sistema de colectoras que impulsa el Gobierno
Mundial 2026: Salió el «Muchachos» versión española con mención a Iniesta y Yamal
Presupuesto 2027: el plan financiero abrió proyecciones distintas entre las consultoras del mercado y el Gobierno
Misiones: el gobernador Passalacqua formalizó el quiebre con el caudillo Rovira y ya tiene sello propio para buscar la reelección
Rusia lanzó una tercera oleada de misiles balísticos contra Kiev en menos de una semana: al menos 11 heridos
Ojo con las multas de tránsito: las más caras llegan a $3.8 millones
Mora récord: Caputo aseguró que bancos privados están rescatando a sus clientes con préstamos al 25% anual
¿Conviene un plazo fijo? Esto ganás con $1 millón y las tasas de cada banco
Inédito: la billetera de una petrolera rinde más que usar Mercado Pago o invertir en plazo fijo
INTERNACIONAL3 días agoEl Gobierno asegura que un buque de guerra británico navegó por aguas argentinas sin permiso y evalúa presentar un reclamo diplomático
- POLITICA3 días ago
Mauricio Macri se reunió con Angela Merkel en Davos
- ECONOMIA3 días ago
El Gobierno adjudicó inversión millonaria para frenar los cortes de luz con megabaterías
