Trump Administration Plans $927M White House Renovation

The Trump administration has directed nearly $1 billion toward a sweeping renovation of the White House grounds, including a gilded East Wing ballroom, by funneling funds through a little-known maintenance account, according to confidential records reviewed by The Washington Post. The total planned expenditure is at least $927 million, a figure that represents the most expensive overhaul of the presidential residence in history in raw dollars.

The money has been routed to an account called "White House Repair and Restoration," which Congress typically funds with about $2.5 million annually for routine upkeep. Administration documents show that $875 million has been placed into this account so far, drawing from three primary sources. The White House budget office authorized $500 million in transfers from the U.S. Secret Service and the White House Military Office. Private donations account for another $305 million. An additional $70 million was directed to the account, but the records do not identify its source, a detail watchdog groups have called "incredibly unusual."

The renovations include demolishing the East Wing to build a ballroom, paving over the Rose Garden to recreate...