The Interior Department will reuse soil from the White House ballroom construction site for federal lands across Washington, D.C., the Washington Examiner reports.
"It's truly inspiring to see this administration prioritizing D.C. beautification, all while being good stewards of our environment by reusing resources to enhance and uplift our community," an Interior Department official, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, told the Examiner.
An official with the department also told the news outlet that the project is "an example of how this construction is contributing to the environment and beautification of D.C."
The $300 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom is being built adjacent to what used to be the White House's East Wing.
The entire East Wing was demolished Thursday in preparation for construction.
Trump said Wednesday that keeping the East Wing as is would have "hurt a very, very expensive, beautiful building," referring to the ballroom that he said presidents have wanted for years. He said he "and some friends of mine" will pay for the ballroom at no cost to taxpayers.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt attributed the demolition and higher building cost to changes that happen with any construction.
"The plans changed when the president heard counsel from the architects and the construction companies who said that in order for this East Wing to be modern and beautiful for many, many years to come, for it to be a truly strong and stable structure, this phase one that we're now in was necessary and the president wants to do right by the 'People's House,'" Leavitt said at her press briefing Thursday.
Trump said later Thursday that about $350 million had been raised for the project, but he remained vague about his personal contribution.
"I won't be able to tell you until I finish," he told reporters. "But I'll donate whatever is needed."
Newsmax wires contributed to this report.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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