Schumer leads Democratic outrage over $1bn White House ballroom proposal

14 articles · Updated · New York Daily News · May 6

Democrats attacked a Republican plan to add the funding for security upgrades to a $72bn spending package, despite Trump's earlier pledge that private donors would cover the project.
Trump defended the 90,000-square-foot ballroom, saying it was under budget and ahead of schedule, while the White House said taxpayer money would cover fortified underground facilities including bunkers and medical space.
Republicans say heightened security needs justify the spending and aim to pass it through reconciliation, as construction continues after an appeals court allowed work to proceed during a preservation lawsuit.

Can modern security needs and historic preservation coexist in the White House's billion-dollar renovation?

What specific threats justify a $1 billion White House bunker, replacing one used since World War II?