NO TAXPAYER FUNDS FOR TRUMP’S ILLEGAL AND HIDEOUS VANITY PROJECTS
QUICK READ: Trump, a temporary resident, is treating the White House, its grounds, Washington’s parks and monuments, and the U.S Treasury as if they belong to him, rather than the American people. Congress cannot allow him to misappropriate funds to create unauthorized monuments to himself. It must promise, instead, to use taxpayer dollars to obviate the miseries he’s created for the American people with his tariffs, his wars, and his massive cuts to necessary services.
CONTENTS:
BACKGROUND
The White House and its grounds and Washington parks and monuments belong to the American people, not to the White House’s temporary resident.
Trump, who cares only for himself and not for those he was elected to serve, ignores this simple truth, salivating over the trillions in taxpayer dollars collected annually available for self-glorification.
Trump’s oft-repeated claims that his privately funded 90,000-square-foot ballroom project with its underground bunker (whose funding’s itself corrupt because donors received over $50 billion in government contracts) would cost $200-million were entirely untrue. It will cost $600+ million and will be paid for with $400+ million earmarked for other purposes in 2025.
His disastrous, unsuccessful Reflective Pool renovation is similarly illegal. Its no-bid high-profit-margin contracts and shoddy workmanship will now cost $16+, not 1.3, million—paid for with national park fees intended for their maintenance.
These fees are also funding the gilding of multiple White House rooms, a no-bid $5-million contract to gild 4 bronze horses at the Lincoln Memorial, $17.4 million to restore 2 fountains at Lafayette Park projected to cost just $3.3 million in 2022, and $5 million for a South Lawn helicopter landing.
Additionally, Trump wants a $100-million 250-foot arch that’s unauthorized by Congress and violates legislated height limits, and a $40-million national garden filled with so-called “American heroes.”
In a functioning democracy whose representatives use taxpayer funds to improve their constituents’ lives, Trump’s corruption, lies, and misuse of funds to create monuments to himself would not be tolerated. Republicans, however, who control both houses of Congress, remain largely unconcerned and refuse to exercise and enforce Congress’ budgetary powers.
ACTION One: Call the Senate.
Script for Oregon Senators
SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753
My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Writing letters to Cabinet Secretarys, calling for investigations, and even introducing legislation to prevent Trump’s 250-foot arch are all appropriate, but I am asking you for much more. Between now and November, I need you to convince voters that, unlike the ruling GOP, you take seriously your responsibilities to the American people; that you will investigate this corruption, hold all miscreants, including Trump, responsible, and force them to repay the taxpayer funds they’ve stolen; that you are committed to creating an inclusive democracy benefitting all Americans, not just the ultra-rich; and that, instead of allowing our wannabe monarch to construct monuments to himself, you will use this money and other taxpayer dollars to fund the programs Americans want and need to improve their daily lives.
SEN. WYDEN:
Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Writing letters to Cabinet Secretarys, calling for investigations, and even introducing legislation to prevent Trump’s 250-foot arch are all appropriate, but I am asking you for much more. Between now and November, I need you to convince voters that, unlike the ruling GOP, you take seriously your responsibilities to the American people; that you will investigate this corruption, hold all miscreants, including Trump, responsible, and force them to repay the taxpayer funds they’ve stolen; that you are committed to creating an inclusive democracy benefitting all Americans, not just the ultra-rich; and that, instead of allowing our wannabe monarch to construct monuments to himself, you will use this money and other taxpayer dollars to fund the programs Americans want and need to improve their daily lives.
Script for Republican Senators
D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].
You should be ashamed that you are letting Donald Trump raid the Treasury and use taxpayer money to create monuments to himself rather than for their intended purposes. You should be apologizing to the American people for allowing this to happen. It is time to wrest back Congress’ power of the purse and use funds, instead, to improve the lives of your constituents.
ACTION TWO: Call the House.
Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Calling for investigations and introducing legislation to prevent Trump’s 250-foot arch are all appropriate, but I am asking you for much more. Between now and November, I need you to convince voters that, unlike the ruling GOP, you take seriously your responsibilities to the American people; that you will investigate this corruption, hold all miscreants, including Trump, responsible, and force them to repay the taxpayer funds they’ve stolen; that you are committed to creating an inclusive democracy benefitting all Americans, not just the ultra-rich; and that, instead of allowing our wannabe monarch to construct monuments to himself, you will use this money and other taxpayer dollars to fund the programs Americans want and need to improve their daily lives.
Script for Cliff Bentz (OR-02)
Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
You should be ashamed that you are letting Donald Trump raid the Treasury and use taxpayer money to create monuments to himself rather than for their intended purposes. You should be apologizing to the American people for allowing this to happen. It is time to wrest back Congress’ power of the purse and use funds, instead, to improve the lives of your constituents.
Script for Maxine Dexter (OR-03)
Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Calling for investigations and introducing legislation to prevent Trump’s 250-foot arch are all appropriate, but I am asking you for much more. Between now and November, I need you to convince voters that, unlike the ruling GOP, you take seriously your responsibilities to the American people; that you will investigate this corruption, hold all miscreants, including Trump, responsible, and force them to repay the taxpayer funds they’ve stolen; that you are committed to creating an inclusive democracy benefitting all Americans, not just the ultra-rich; and that, instead of allowing our wannabe monarch to construct monuments to himself, you will use this money and other taxpayer dollars to fund the programs Americans want and need to improve their daily lives.
Script for Val Hoyle (OR-04)
Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Calling for investigations and introducing legislation to prevent Trump’s 250-foot arch are all appropriate, but I am asking you for much more. Between now and November, I need you to convince voters that, unlike the ruling GOP, you take seriously your responsibilities to the American people; that you will investigate this corruption, hold all miscreants, including Trump, responsible, and force them to repay the taxpayer funds they’ve stolen; that you are committed to creating an inclusive democracy benefitting all Americans, not just the ultra-rich; and that, instead of allowing our wannabe monarch to construct monuments to himself, you will use this money and other taxpayer dollars to fund the programs Americans want and need to improve their daily lives.
Script for Janelle Bynum (OR-05)
Oregon City office: 503-387-8651 |DC office: 202-225-5711
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Calling for investigations and introducing legislation to prevent Trump’s 250-foot arch are all appropriate, but I am asking you for much more. Between now and November, I need you to convince voters that, unlike the ruling GOP, you take seriously your responsibilities to the American people; that you will investigate this corruption, hold all miscreants, including Trump, responsible, and force them to repay the taxpayer funds they’ve stolen; that you are committed to creating an inclusive democracy benefitting all Americans, not just the ultra-rich; and that, instead of allowing our wannabe monarch to construct monuments to himself, you will use this money and other taxpayer dollars to fund the programs Americans want and need to improve their daily lives.
Script for Andrea Salinas (OR-06)
Salem office: 503-385-0906 | DC office: 202-225-5643
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Calling for investigations and introducing legislation to prevent Trump’s 250-foot arch are all appropriate, but I am asking you for much more. Between now and November, I need you to convince voters that, unlike the ruling GOP, you take seriously your responsibilities to the American people; that you will investigate this corruption, hold all miscreants, including Trump, responsible, and force them to repay the taxpayer funds they’ve stolen; that you are committed to creating an inclusive democracy benefitting all Americans, not just the ultra-rich; and that, instead of allowing our wannabe monarch to construct monuments to himself, you will use this money and other taxpayer dollars to fund the programs Americans want and need to improve their daily lives.
FURTHER READING
Trump said no taxpayer money would be spent on the ballroom. A contractor’s invoices show otherwise
Millions in Secret Service funds redirected amid ballroom construction
Ballroom donors won $50B in contracts after giving to Trump project, watchdog group finds
How Burgum is helping trump gut national parks to fund vanity projects
Trump steals national parks and recreational land fees for D.C. vanity projects
Senate democrats question national park entry fees used for Trump ‘vanity projects’
The blue paint is peeling off the Reflecting Pool
Trump’s DC makeover frenzy bewilders locals and visitors: ‘It’s like we’re under occupation’
Trump forges ahead with D.C. cityscape transformation against growing resistance
