Harris Criticizes Trump Over White House Ballroom Construction Amid Shutdown

Former Vice President Kamala Harris shared her displeasure on “The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart,” focusing on President Trump’s decision to build a ballroom in the White House while the government is shut down.

During the podcast, Harris mentioned that Trump seemed to disregard the looming halt to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during this project. It’s significant because, despite the government shutdown being driven by a Democratic block of a bipartisan funding bill, SNAP supports over 40 million Americans, many of whom will face food insecurity if Congress doesn’t intervene.

“Are you kidding me? This guy wants to build a banquet hall for his wealthy friends while babies are at risk of starving when SNAP benefits end!” she exclaimed. “Come on!”

She further expressed her frustration, stating, “I’m not going to get sidetracked by the idea of, ‘Oh, he has a giant hammer?!’ What about those children?”

The shutdown started on October 1 after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer united nearly all Senate Democrats to block the funding bill. If the shutdown persists, many states might halt SNAP benefits by November 1.

Democrats have indicated they won’t support any funding deal without the inclusion of extensions for Obamacare subsidies or other party priorities.

Moreover, a former Democratic federal official criticized the party on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” for their refusal to reopen the government and the impact on food assistance. The caller pointed out, “The truth is that it’s the Democrats who are responsible for the shutdown in the Senate, and I am a Democrat too. Only three Democrats voted for the continuing resolution.”

She emphasized the urgency, stating, “They need to unite and stop holding Americans hostage. They’re denying people food, and it’s coming up this weekend, November 1st. It’s ridiculous.”

Many Democrats, activists, and media figures expressed outrage over the renovation of the East Wing of the White House coinciding with the ballroom project. High-profile figures like former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the president, alleging abuse of power, despite a history of White House renovations under past presidents.