A new ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll found most Americans oppose Trump’s White House ballroom and Washington arch plans, despite White House security arguments.
A new poll suggests Americans are not buying President Donald Trump's attempt to remake Washington.
An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos survey released on April 30 found broad opposition to Trump's planned White House ballroom and his proposed Washington arch. The poll found 56% of U.S. adults oppose the ballroom project, while 28% support it. On the arch, 52% disapprove and 21% support the idea.
The survey lands as the White House and Trump continue to frame the ballroom as a security and legacy project. In remarks posted by the White House earlier in April, Trump said he was building a "safe ballroom" and linked the effort to the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting on April 25.
The Justice Department has also pushed preservationists to drop a lawsuit against the ballroom project, with AP reporting that officials cited the shooting in their argument.
The polling suggests those defenses are not moving public opinion much. Instead, the ballroom and arch proposals appear to be drawing resistance from a clear majority of Americans.
For now, the White House is pressing ahead, but the new numbers show the political risk of trying to reshape the capital through high-profile construction and redesign projects.
Revision note
Initial automated publication.