WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) spoke today on the Senate floor about President Donald Trump's preoccupation with building monuments and hosting sporting events while Americans across the country struggle to make ends meet amid rising prices.

"$600 million to build a ballroom at the White House. $100 million to build a triumphal arch. $250 million to renovate the Kennedy Center. And $60 million to host a UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House. These are the things Donald Trump is putting his time and energy into right now, along with a whole lot of taxpayer money," said Senator Schatz.

Senator Schatz continued, "People all across the country are eating less and driving less and saving less and seeing the doctor less because of his actions. Wars, tariffs, tax cuts for billionaires, paid for by cutting working people's health care. And yet, all he can think about is where his next military adventure might be or what new monument he can build himself."

Senator Schatz's remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below. Video is available here.

$600 million to build a ballroom at the White House. $100 million to build a triumphal arch. $250 million to renovate the Kennedy Center. And $60 million to host a UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House. These are the things Donald Trump is putting his time and energy into right now, along with a whole lot of taxpayer money. Meanwhile, gas is more than 4 bucks a gallon nationally and $5.58 in Hawai'i. Grocery prices keep going up. Electricity bills are through the roof. Millions of Americans don't have health insurance this year. And rents and mortgages are impossible to keep up with.

This is not a question of whether you like sports or monuments. I like sports. I think the capital city of the most powerful nation in the history of the world should be beautiful and modern and vibrant. But this is not that. This is a president who is so thoroughly distracted with his own personal pet projects that he has no time to do anything to lower prices and fix people's actual problems. It's not like these are events that have overtaken his agenda - this is his agenda. These are his initiatives that he came up with.

It's plainly obvious that the Donald Trump is distracted with things that have nothing to do with regular people's lives. But you don't have to take my word for it. Last week, after inflation reached the highest level in 3 years, he said, "I love the inflation." And a few weeks ago, as a war of his own making was ravaging people's paychecks, he said, "I don't think about Americans' financial situation." I don't think about Americans' financial situation. This is not me making a partisan accusation - those are his words!

People all across the country are eating less and driving less and saving less and seeing the doctor less because of his actions. Wars, tariffs, tax cuts for billionaires, paid for by cutting working people's health care. And yet, all he can think about is where his next military adventure might be or what new monument he can build himself.

It's not hard to imagine a focused, energetic president who exerts his authority to make people's lives better, easier, more affordable, more fulfilling. And in the past, even when we didn't agree with a president from the other party on solutions, we at least agreed on the problems. But not with Donald Trump. The problem was never that the Kennedy Center was too woke. The problem was never that gas was too cheap. No one woke up thinking, gee, I wish we were involved in more wars. Or man, we really ought to be throwing bigger parties for the president's birthday.

No one asked for this. No one wants this. But we have a president who is at the end of his political career, with nothing to lose electorally. And all he can think about is himself and his legacy - not you.

###

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Tweet