President Donald Trump has proposed a sweeping increase in funding for White House renovations, requesting more than $377 million for fiscal year 2026 and an additional $174 million for fiscal year 2027.
The proposed $377 million represents an 866% jump from the roughly $39 million spent on White House upkeep in fiscal year 2025.
An Office of Management and Budget spokesperson told Politico the funding reflects broader budgetary projections that go beyond basic maintenance, encompassing both modernization efforts and enhanced security measures.
According to the spokesperson, the renovations will extend beyond the executive residence and include multiple areas of the White House complex — including plans backed by Trump to construct a new ballroom.
Of the total $377 million proposed for 2026, approximately $350 million is classified as mandatory spending, which includes private donations designated for the ballroom project, the spokesperson said.
The ballroom proposal has already sparked legal challenges.
On Friday, the Trump administration argued that a federal judge's order halting construction poses a direct security risk to the president and the White House.
In an appeal filing, National Park Service lawyers warned that the court's decision to suspend construction is "threatening grave national-security harms to the White House, the president and his family, and the president's staff."
"Time is of the essence!" government lawyers wrote, emphasizing that the project includes materials and infrastructure intended to create a "heavily fortified" facility. According to the filing, the planned construction includes features such as bomb shelters, military installations, and a medical facility.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington, D.C., ordered a temporary halt to the project last week, including work that has already involved demolishing portions of the East Wing.
Leon ruled that unless Congress explicitly approves the project, the preservationist group challenging the construction is likely to prevail. He wrote that "no statute comes close to giving the president the authority he claims to have."
The judge paused enforcement of his order for 14 days to allow the administration time to appeal.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sam Barron ✉
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