Trump using $500M no-bid contract to build his White House ballroom: Washington Post
The White House used an Executive Residence exemption to award Clark Construction the no-bid deal, after Trump said donors would cover the cost.
- The Washington Post reported that President Donald Trump orchestrated a $500 million no-bid contract for his East Wing ballroom last year, using an "unusual arrangement" to circumvent standard federal cost-control procedures.
- By routing the contract through the Executive Residence, an office "typically responsible for routine mansion repairs and furniture purchases," the White House bypassed competitive bidding rules required for federal contracts.
- Confidential documents reveal Trump "personally negotiated" project costs, while Administration Director Joshua Fisher claimed the contract skipped bidding because disclosing agency needs would "compromise the national security."
- Despite Trump's previous promises that private donors would fund the project, experts noted that competitive bidding would have ensured the "best pricing for taxpayers" given the ballroom's extraordinary scale.
- The ballroom contract reflects a broader strategy of awarding no-bid deals for projects like Lafayette Square upgrades, though the administration's approach has yet to become a legal matter.
31 Articles
31 Articles
As the 250 years of independence approached, the demolition of the east wing and the project of a giant ballroom at the White House told a lot about what the US presidency has become and about the vision of its current occupant.
Trump Awards $500M No-Bid Contract To Clark Construction For White House East Wing Ballroom
White House officials secretly awarded a no-bid contract worth up to $500 million to Clark Construction for the construction of an East Wing ballroom, bypassing standard federal competitive bidding procedures. The contract was routed through the Executive Residence, a White House office typically responsible for routine repairs, furniture purchases, art acquisitions, and general upkeep of the Executive Mansion. That office is exempt from the com…
Trump promised his White House ballroom wouldn't cost taxpayers a dime. New report finds how much the public must pay to fund his building projects
President Trump has repeatedly said his ballroom would not cost taxpayers any money. But a new analysis from The New York Times shows his building spree relies heavily on public funds. The President has often described these projects as gifts to the country, paid for by private donors. Across 18 major projects that are either underway or finished during his second term, the total possible cost is over $1.2 billion. A large part of that amount fa…
WaPo Reporter Reveals Legally ‘Dubious’ Way Trump Forced Through a No-Bid Contract for His Ballroom
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper spoke to Washington Post investigative reporter Jonathan O’Connell this week about his uncovering of the “secret agreement” behind the $500 million no-bid contract President Donald Trump is using to build his ballroom. “What did you find in your reporting about how this no-bid contract was awarded?” Cooper began the interview. O’Connell replied, “It’s actually a very creative strategy, Anderson, although legally sort o…
Revealed: How Trump Aides Used Obscure Loophole to Hide $500M East Wing Ballroom Executive Residence Contract
A newly uncovered White House construction deal signed in Washington has suddenly thrust the administration's financial transparency into the spotlight. Critics are demanding answers over the highly unusual legal framework used to clear the multi-million-pound project behind closed doors. By leveraging an obscure federal loophole, officials managed to keep the public entirely in the dark about who is actually funding the historic build. No-Bid D…
The two journalists who have investigated in depth in recent months in the internal circle of the president of the United States publish the expected work. More information: The White House awarded $500 million with a 'finger-to-finger' contract to build the Trump Ballroom
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