CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Fact-Checks Rep. Jasmine Crockett Over False Trump Ballroom Claim [WATCH]

CNN host Kaitlan Collins corrected Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) on-air Monday night after the congresswoman repeated a false claim that President Donald Trump’s top priority during the government shutdown was the construction of a new White House ballroom, as reported by The New York Post.

The exchange took place on The Source, when Crockett was asked about the ongoing shutdown but shifted the discussion to criticize Trump’s East Wing renovation project.

“The president has time to do everything but what he needs to focus on,” Crockett said. “In fact, we heard the press secretary say his main priority is the ballroom — the ballroom that no one asked for. The ballroom that requires him to destroy historic pieces of the White House.”

Collins interjected to correct the record, explaining that Crockett’s comment misrepresented a previous statement by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

“Yeah, and that context of the comment from Karoline Leavitt — she was asked if the president was working on any other renovations when it came to the White House,” Collins said. “And she was saying his focus was the ballroom.”

The fact-check followed several days of confusion over remarks Leavitt made during an October 23 White House briefing, which were later circulated in a misleading clip by Acyn Torabi of MeidasTouch, a progressive media outlet.

During that briefing, Leavitt was asked whether President Trump was pursuing “any other renovations or significant projects” beyond the new ballroom and Rose Garden patio.

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She responded, “Not to my knowledge, no. But he’s a builder at heart, clearly. And so his heart and his mind is always churning about how to improve things here on the White House grounds. But at this moment in time, of course, the ballroom is really the president’s main priority.”

Kaitlan Collins actually fact-checked Jasmine Crockett on Trump. Good for her. pic.twitter.com/PWvKgmXLoj

— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) October 28, 2025

Torabi’s edited version omitted the question’s context and only included the line, “At this moment in time, the ballroom is really the president’s main priority.”

The shortened clip received over two million views on X and was shared widely by Democratic officials and commentators, who accused President Trump of focusing on “vanity projects” while government operations remained halted.

Among those reacting were California Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio). Newsom posted, “Good to know.” Schumer wrote, “Honestly, you can’t make this sh*t up.”

The viral post was later debunked by multiple outlets that clarified Leavitt had been referring solely to ongoing renovation work, not the president’s governing priorities. The ballroom project — estimated to cost around $300 million — is being funded entirely by private donors, according to the White House.

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) joined other critics in suggesting that future Democratic administrations should “tear down” the ballroom if elected.

Crockett’s office has not commented on her remarks or the correction issued during the interview. She told Collins during the segment that she had “no idea” when the shutdown might end.

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