## Senate Republican on Trump ballroom push: ‘We have $39 trillion of debt’

Authored by thehill.com

Scott told NBC News on Monday evening that the project should be paid for with private funding only.

“I don’t know why you would do it” with taxpayer money “if it’s all funded,” Scott told NBC News.

President Trump initially planned to pay for the construction of the ballroom, which will replace the White House’s former East Wing, with private donations.

The South Carolina Republican said taxpayers should pay for the infrastructure and donors could pay for decor and furnishings.

“Private donations can be used but I think they should be used for buying [fine] china and stuff like that.”.

Graham added that he talked to Trump about the proposal on Sunday and said the White House supports it.

“I’m convinced that had there been a presidential ballroom adjacent to the White House, the guy would have never gotten in. »

### General Motors says it expects $500 million tariff refund after SCOTUS ruling

Authored by abcnews.com

General Motors says it expects $500 million tariff refund after SCOTUS ruling.

Signs advertising Buick, GMC and Cadillac, automobile brands owned by General Motors Company, are seen at a car dealership in Queens, New York, U.S., November 16, 2021.

General Motors said on Monday it expects to receive $500 million in refunds from tariffs that were ruled illegal by the Supreme Court. »

### Jimmy Kimmel defends Melania ‘widow’ joke after the Trumps call for him to be fired

Authored by theguardian.com

host made the joke on Thursday, well before the Saturday attack on the White House correspondents’ dinner, during a skit in which the ABC host pretended to be the event’s MC.

In her post on X, Melania Trump wrote: “Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country.

“I am so deeply sick of Jimmy Kimmel and the hate he spreads in the world,” Meghan McCain said in a post on X. »

### Oil giant BP announces huge rise in profits in first results since Iran war

Authored by news.sky.com

The oil and gas producing giant BP has recorded a more than doubling of profits as it benefits from high prices from the Iran war.

BP has been a significant beneficiary; its results for the first three months of its financial year show its underlying profits hit $3.198bn (£2.366bn).

That means it has not yet fully benefited from more expensive oil and that profits are likely to rise yet further. »

### Builder of Trump Ballroom Given $17M for Project Biden Admin Said Would Cost $3M

Authored by truthout.org

“They just took the cover page of my estimate and just added a bunch of money,” the original cost estimator said.

For instance, the administration used inflation as a reason to tack on another $2 million to the project.

“They just took the cover page of my estimate and just added a bunch of money onto it,” said Kirk. »

## In pictures

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