Tim Walz slams Trump over his $250 million White House ballroom project amid government shutdown

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is facing criticism for claiming that the Trump administrationThe administration’s top priority is the $250 million construction of a new ballroom to replace the East Wing of the White House as the government shutdown approaches its first month.

On Monday, Walz announced a plan to provide $4 million in emergency funding to support food shelves, while blaming President Donald Trump and Republicans for the ongoing shutdown.

He quoted comments from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

“They are choosing not to fund these programs… and when the White House press secretary said the ballroom is the top priority, we couldn’t disagree more,” Walz said.

FROM THE GOLD PLATED OVAL OFFICE TO A NEW MONUMENT: A LOOK AT TRUMP’S RENOVATION PROJECTS

However, Leavitt’s comments came as a reporter asked whether Trump was considering any other renovations or major projects at the White House, aside from the ballroom and Rose Garden patio.

“Not that I know of, no, but he is clearly a builder at heart, and so his heart and his mind are always thinking of ways to make things better here on the White House grounds,” Leavitt said. “But right now, of course, the ballroom is really the president’s main priority.”

The Republican National Committee said Walz “shamelessly perpetuated the Democrats’ lie about Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.”

On Tuesday, Leavitt posted on X: “Stop lying, Tampon Tim.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Walz’s office for comment.

EXPANSIVE $250M NEW WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM TO BE PAID BY TRUMP AND DONORS

Other Democrats have also accused Trump of prioritizing the ballroom instead of issues important to voters.

“The Trump Administration has just declared that establishing a ballroom is the President’s top priority,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote of X in response to Leavitt’s comments. “Meanwhile, the cost of living is far too high and the Republican health care crisis threatens millions of Americans.”

PolitiFact, a fact-checking website that assesses the veracity of claims made by elected officials, noted that his statement was false.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Construction of a new formal ballroom has become a political lightning rod, despite the cost being jointly funded by Trump and private donors, not taxpayers.

The new ballroom will accommodate about 650 seated guests and will stay true to the classic White House design, Leavitt said in July.