The Trump Ballroom #360
By Hank Silverberg
Commentary
There has been a great deal of controversy over the new Trump ballroom about to be constructed where the East Wing of the White House had stood since FDR had it built in 1942.
Did Trump get the proper permission to build it? The answer is "no". He didn't feel that was necessary, though many in Washington say that is not the case. And he began the project while Congress is distracted by the government shutdown.
What corporations or private individuals are paying the $300 million to construct it? (Despite some claims, Trump is NOT using his own money.)
There's a list out now. Take a look:
Here's the list of donors who are contributing to the
ballroom:
Altria Group, Amazon, Apple, Booz
Allen Hamilton, Caterpillar, Coinbase, Comcast Corporation, J. Pepe and Emilia
Fanjul, Hard Rock International, Google, HP Inc.,
Lockheed Martin, Meta Platforms, Micron Technology, Microsoft, NextEra
Energy Palantir Technologies, Ripple
Will donors get special access to the Oval Office and the President because of their contributions?
These are all legitimate questions. But the biggest one is WHY it is being built in the first place. Is it needed?
The answer is a resounding NO! There has been a White House dining room since 1902, and on occasion to handle larger crowds, State dinners have been held in big tents on the White House lawn. The White
 |
| (Courtesy of the Truman Library) |
But is there a need for a 90,000 square foot ballroom, bigger than the rest of the White House? (55,000 square feet.)
The new ballroom is all about Trump's ego. He will most likely name it after himself and he knows once it's there it's likely to stay for a long time, with his name on it. Mr. Trump is all about his legacy. He wants our great grandchildren to read about him in the history books. The ballroom, no matter who is paying for it, is a waste of money and not needed. But it provides Mr. Trump with the legacy he desires, and distraction from things like the Epstein files and the government shutdown.
It will be interesting to see who gets invited to the first big event in the monster Mr. Trump is creating.
News You May Have Missed!
Newsom For President?
If you follow politics, a comment by California Governor Gavin Newsom comes as no surprise. In an interview aired on the CBS program Sunday Morning, he said he is considering a run for U.S.
.jpg) |
| (gov.ca.gov) |
Newsom says he is "looking forward to see who presents themselves in 2028 and who meets the moment."
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic nominee, is also from California. She has not ruled out another run for the White House.
Donald Trump is prohibited by law from seeking a third term, though he said earlier this year "there are methods by which you could do it."
No other Democrats or Republicans have even hinted they are interested in the job.
A big Democratic win in the 2026 mid-terms could change that.
Trump Administration Waste!
There is $9.7 million worth of U.S. purchased contraceptives sitting in a warehouse in Belgium that the Trump administration won't release to aid workers for Africa. They were supposed to be distributed by USAid before the administration shut down the agency in January. CNN is reporting the contraceptives, more than five million, are mostly long-lasting types like IUD's, but also include injections and other medication that could expire soon, some as early as April of 2027.
The U.S. State Department had tried to destroy the contraceptives in Belgium by burning them, but Flanders, where the warehouse is located, has regulations against burning reusable medical devices.
Now aid workers say the Trump administration may just hold them in the warehouse until they expire.
The birth control was supposed to go to Tanzania, Mali, Kenya and elsewhere, but the administration won't even sell them to the United Nations Population Fund, International Planned Parenthood, or other NGOs. If the birth control is not delivered, aid workers say it could increase maternal deaths and unsafe abortions and create an economic strain from unplanned pregnancies in parts of Africa.
Dumbest Quote of The Week!
This week's dumb and frightening quote comes from Stephen Miller, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy in the Trump Administration.
Miller was asked on Fox News (where else?) about Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker's executive order that created the Illinois Accountability Commission as a way to document how ICE operated in Chicago. Pritzker suggested ICE agents may be arrested and held accountable for their actions at some point in the future. A federal court in Chicago has already ordered sweeping new limits on ICE operations in the Midwest, ruling that the agents had repeatedly violated federal law and a binding consent decree by arresting people without warrants.
Miller's response:
"If you engage in a criminal conspiracy to obstruct the enforcement of federal immigration laws, or to unlawfully order you own police officers or your own official to try to interfere with ICE officers, or even to arrest ICE officers, you're engaged in criminal activity."
It is only a matter of time before various law enforcement officers across the country refuse to support ICE, and I suspect there will be confrontations. It has happened before, during the Civil Rights movement of the 1950's and 60's,and the Feds won. Back then it was the locals who were on the wrong side.
The new possibilities here are alarming.
( You suggestions and comments are welcome)
My recent book "The Campaign" can be purchased at the links below. Or you can buy a copy by emailing me at: HankSilverberg@gmail.com for instructions on how to get a copy at a reduced price and with my signature)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084Q7K6M5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
My NEWEST book is now available. It is designed for use in Public Speaking and entry level communications classes.
Comments
Post a Comment
Reactive comments are welcome. Please keep it civil. Any direct attack on the blogger or those who post is not welcome and will be deleted.