Washington, United States. U.S. President Donald Trump appealed for patience from Americans struggling with rising gas prices as he sought to justify the cost of a White House ballroom project critics have called a vanity effort.
Ballroom remarks draw scrutiny
Standing in front of the White House ballroom construction site on Tuesday, Trump said, “This is peanuts,” in an apparent reference to the economic damage inflicted on the U.S. by the Iran war. “I appreciate everybody putting up with it for a little while. It won’t be much longer.”
The remarks sharpened concerns among some Republicans who worry that the billionaire president’s focus on the ballroom appears insensitive as Americans struggle to fill their gas tanks ahead of November’s midterm elections.
A Reuters review of Trump’s public comments found that he has mentioned the ballroom at least 40 times this year through speeches, social media posts or comments to reporters, including nine times this month. By comparison, he mentioned it 35 times in all of 2025.
Trump has frequently promoted the ballroom in remarks to reporters on Air Force One, in the Oval Office and on his Truth Social platform.
White House response
A White House official rejected Democrats’ claim that the ballroom is a vanity project.
“This is about legacy, not vanity,” the official said. “The president is deeply passionate about this and wants to get it done.”
Trump has repeatedly downplayed the economic impact of the war as gas prices have risen, urging patience and offering little acknowledgment of Americans’ financial strain.
Earlier this month, he said in a comment that went viral and was seized on by Democrats, “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation,” adding, “The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran, they can’t have a nuclear weapon.”
Do you think the ballroom project is overshadowing concerns about gas prices?