Trump praises Rand Paul for White House ballroom project approval vote

President Donald Trump gave a rare shout out to longtime critic, Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, on Thursday after he voted to approve plans for the new White House ballroom.

“I would like to thank the hardworking Commissioners and Staff of the National Capital Planning Commission, who just voted overwhelmingly, 8-1, to approve the magnificent White House Ballroom now rising on this Hallowed Ground,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“I am pleased to announce that even Board Member Senator Rand Paul, known as an extraordinarily difficult vote, voted a strong YES.”

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Paul and Trump share a contentious relationship, including Paul being highly critical of Trump’s tariff policies and Trump’s military attacks on Iran. In late March, he was the only Republican to vote in favor of a war powers resolution aiming to limit the president’s ability to continue foreign military intervention.

Trump and Paul have been sparring since the 2015 GOP primary, when they clashed during the first Republican debate in August 2015. The tension has flared since, including Trump calling Paul “sick Wacko” just in November. 

The ballroom still faces legal hurdles. On Tuesday, a federal judge halted the project, ruling that construction of the 90,000-square-foot ballroom must receive Congressional approval.

“The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!” Leon wrote in a 35-page ruling. “No statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have.”

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The National Capital Planning Commission proceeded with the vote despite the ruling. The commission chair, Will Scharf, said at the start of Thursday’s meeting that the judge’s ruling only prevented construction of the project.

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“We’ll move past that and continue our consideration of the East Wing modernization project,” he said.

The ballroom, which is being funded by private donors, is slated to be completed by 2028. However, the project’s end date remains unknown as the Trump administration plans to appeal the judge’s decision.