When Donald Trump knocked down the East Wing of the White House without authorisation, few Republican politicians were willing to publicly back his ambitious renovations.
But after the major security breach during the White House Correspondents’ dinner on Saturday, they have changed their tune.
Soon after, an armed gunman allegedly tried to kill the president, Trump said the scare justified the need for a ballroom in the White House.
And now prominent Republicans are agreeing with him.
Senator Rand Paul, a prominent conservative who has often clashed with the Trump administration, will introduce legislation to allow the ballroom to go ahead.
“Tomorrow, I’ll bring my bill to the floor that allows it to proceed without new taxpayer costs and make it easier for Congress to review major White House projects going forward,” he said.
A separate bill would set aside US$400 million in taxes to build the ballroom.
“Many people I think originally saw it as a vanity project… I don’t see it that way,” Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said.
“I’m convinced if there had been a presidential ballroom adjacent to the White House, the guy would have never gotten in.”
Even one high-profile Democrat has joined the chorus.
“We were there front and centre,” Senator John Fetterman said.
“That venue wasn’t built to accommodate an event with the line of succession for the US government.
“After witnessing last night, drop the TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome) and build the White House ballroom for events exactly like these.”
Fetterman has been increasingly stepping away from his party by siding with Republicans on major issues.
Trump’s renovations of the White House have been blocked by a federal judge because he did not have congressional approval to do so.
“The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families,” Judge Richard J Leon wrote in his decision.
“He is not, however, the owner!”
In a scathing judgment, Leon declared the president could not carry out extensive renovations without congressional approval.
“No statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have,” the judge wrote.
Leon said while presidents were able to carry out “care, maintenance and repair”, the existing laws “bring to mind things like replacing the lightbulbs, fixing broken furniture, and changing the wallpaper”.
Trump has said his ballroom is being funded by donations, but will not reveal who has done so.
The secrecy behind the project has attracted the ire of Democrats.
“Who is funding Trump’s $400m unlawful ballroom and what are they getting in return?” Representative Dan Goldman said.
“The White House is blatantly avoiding oversight by shielding their secret contracts and anonymous donors, all without Congressional authorisation or any meaningful conflict of interest protections.”
The White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) is not a government organisation and would not be obliged to hold its event at the White House.
Today WHCA President Weijia Jiang said the Hilton Hotel had donated the uneaten dinners from the cancelled event.
“They freeze-dried the steak and lobster for longer shelf life before giving them to two shelters for abused women and children,” she wrote on X.
“HUGE thank you to the staff that worked through the night under terrible circumstances.”
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was arrested after exchanging fire with law enforcement and the Secret Service at the Washington Hilton.
He has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president.