Jealousy is a narcissistic trait, so of course, Trump is using a high-profile trip to Xi's China to rally domestic support for one of his signature vanity projects, saying that China has a ballroom, so why can't he have one? The thing is, we already had a ballroom, but the president demolished the entire historic East Wing. And now Trump has a case of Ballroom envy.
"China has a Ballroom, and so should the U.S.A.!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. "It’s under construction, ahead of schedule, and will be the finest facility of its kind anywhere in the U.S.A."
"Thank you for all the support I have been given in getting this project going," he added, including a photo of him with Xi. "Scheduled opening will be around September of 2028. The man I am walking with is President Xi, of China, one of the World’s Great Leaders! President DONALD J. TRUMP"
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley included $1 billion in the Republican reconciliation bill, earmarked for "security adjustments and upgrades" related to the White House's East Wing Modernization Project — which includes the ballroom, even though Trump long insisted the ballroom would be paid for with private donations.
As it happens, many Republicans aren't amused that Trump's Party Palace is included in the reconciliation bill. A broad range of Republican legislators, including both those in competitive districts and staunch conservatives, are voicing doubts about the measure. Their concerns vary — some object to the cost, others worry about the risks it poses to the already delicate reconciliation bill, and many are simply uncomfortable with how it looks to approve a luxury amenity at a time when Americans are struggling with high gas prices and inflation.
“It’s not one of the top 30 things I care about around here,” one House Republican told MS NOW. “Members are really irritated; they don’t understand why this needs to be a priority. Particularly swing-seat members think that the White House doesn’t really get it. They don’t understand what a big problem this is.”
Nebraska GOP Rep. Don Bacon said there are “a lot of concerns in our conference.”
“The president offered up a good plan — that donors are gonna pay for this,” he said. “I think the voters, the citizens, were acceptable of that. But then, to see a billion-dollar fee come out of this that we’re gonna have to pay for. I think we should stick to the plan. This should be a donor-driven project, that’s what the president said, and I think that’s what voters want.”
It's a terrible idea, and the optics aren't good for the upcoming midterms while Americans are struggling in Trump's economy. Republicans know this. So, their choice is this: Should they keep appeasing the narcissistic president with an insatiable appetite for power, or should they, for once, make Americans' lives better? That latter may be too much for them to comprehend, IDK.
