White House Blasts Obama Center's $1 Billion Cost as Trump Pushes 250th Anniversary Projects
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 18
White House Blasts Obama Center's $1 Billion Cost as Trump Pushes 250th Anniversary Projects
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 18
Summary
Friday’s Obama Presidential Center opening gave the White House a fresh opening to cast the project as delayed and over budget while branding Trump the “Builder-in-Chief.”
The Chicago campus has faced years of scrutiny over construction delays, taxpayer-funded infrastructure work and costs that were reported at $830 million in 2021 and are now said to have likely topped $1 billion.
Fox News Digital also cited contractor claims of losses ranging from hundreds of thousands of dollars to tens of millions, adding to criticism around the project’s execution.
Trump has used that contrast to promote Washington renovation plans tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary, including Rose Garden paving, a ballroom projected to cost $300 million and a gilded 250-foot arch.