US House of Congress Minority Leader and senior Democrat Hakeem Jeffries says the party won’t support fast-tracking Trump’s White House ballroom project.
Trump and Republicans have said Sunday’s shooting incident shows the need for a more secure venue for such events.
Jeffries labelled it a “vanity project” and demanded Trump focus on affordability.
“I have not seen a specific request with respect to the ballroom. But needless to say, we have to drive down the cost of living,” he said, according to CNN.
“These are the things we should actually focus on, not a vanity project that resulted from the destruction – that was unauthorised – of the East Wing of the White House.”
Critics, and one lawsuit currently before the courts, say Trump needs Congressional approval for a renovation of this scale at the White House.
The building is expected to cost about US$400 million.