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The construction and restoration works taking place at the White House are set to cost close far more than $1 billion, according to a new investigation.
Works including US President Donald Trump’s much-talked about East Wing Ballroom, a new helipad and other changes will come to about $US927 million ($1.4 billion), with a large portion of that to be paid for by American taxpayers, the publication revealed.
The money has reportedly been cobbled together from different agencies and topped up with private donations.
More specific details have come to light about why Mr Trump hopped from plane to plane to plane after leaving a NATO summit in Ankara.
The subterfuge involved him exiting Air Force One on a catering truck to board another aircraft leaving all the press and a substantial part of his inner circle on the presidential plane.
One of Mr Trump’s biggest spruikers – and a noted backer of debunked election fraud claims – has been beaten in his attempt to stand for the US Governor of Minnesota.
Mike Lindell, who runs a mail order pillow empire, has questioned the result which saw his rival win comfortably.
Meanwhile, the newly emboldened progressive wing of the Democrat Party appears to have had a setback in Wisconsin within a more centrist candidate winning the race to be on the ballot for governor.
Elsewhere, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a blunt warning on Iran, declaring Tehran is nowhere near a lasting peace deal and is instead dragging out talks to inflict maximum political damage ahead of the US midterm elections.
Read on for more updates.
Read related topics:Donald Trump