You may have seen the post: “The president’s main priority” is building a ballroom, not reopening the government or lowering prices.
Today, the White House Press Secretary told the country that this ridiculous damn ballroom is “the president’s main priority”…not reopening the government, not lowering the cost of groceries, not lowering the cost of housing, not lowering the cost of healthcare….building a…
— Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (@RepJasmine) October 23, 2025
That sounds outrageous. It also leaves out the key context that flips the story.
This claim takes one sentence from the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and removes the question she was answering.
“Not what she said, and you know it, moron,” fired back @rapidresponse47. “Stop lying. She was answering a question specifically about construction projects on the White House grounds.”
Indeed, that is not the same as saying it is the president’s top issue above the shutdown, inflation, or health care. It is a classic case of clipping a quote and changing its meaning.
First, funding.
Multiple outlets report the ballroom is being paid for by private money, including the president and donors. That means not by taxpayers.
Reuters and AP both describe it as privately funded, and ABC News has reported on corporate donors linked to the project.
You can support or oppose the idea. But it is not being built with your tax dollars.
Second, timing.
Yes, the government is shut down. That is real and it hurts. But linking the shutdown to a private construction project is apples and oranges.
The shutdown is about Congress and the White House failing to agree on funding. On Day 24, the Senate had again adjourned with no deal.
That is a legislative fight, not a ballroom decision.
Third, scope.
The ballroom is a big build. Demolition work in the East Wing has started, and some critics say approvals moved too fast. Others point out presidents have changed the White House before.
No matter where you land, those are fair debates. What is not fair is twisting a construction answer into “this is the only thing the president cares about.”
Here’s the common-sense standard. Tell the whole truth.
Don’t hide the question asked. Don’t say “paid by you” if it isn’t. Hold leaders to account on spending, process, and priorities. But do it with facts.
Limited government means we watch every public dollar. Individual liberty means private donors can fund things the government should not.
Law and order means follow proper approval steps. And personal responsibility means we don’t pass along claims that cut out key context just to score points.
If you want to criticize the White House, there is plenty to debate.
But the best case is the honest case. Use accurate funding facts. Use full quotes. And say exactly who is blocking a shutdown deal today – which is Senate Democrats.
Nevadans can walk and chew gum. We can follow a D.C. construction story while demanding Congress and the White House end the shutdown.
But we should not let a clipped quote become the story. Facts matter more than outrage.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
