Exclusive: How the White House is justifying its $1B East Wing ask

Alex Isenstadt

This is Donald Trump — Photo: Nathan Howard/Getty Images

The White House will offer line-by-line detail on its $1 billion plan for its East Wing renovation project during a Senate Republican lunch on Tuesday afternoon, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The administration is making the case that the project isn't simply about funding a new White House ballroom, as Democrats have claimed, but rather that it will also fund a broad array of new security measures.

Secret Service Director Sean Curran will deliver the presentation.
The $1 billion would be included in a budget reconciliation package that would also fund ICE and Border Patrol.

By the numbers: A one-page document being distributed at the lunch, and reviewed by Axios, will break down the funding costs.

The costs include:

$220 million for "hardening" security at the White House complex, including "bulletproof glass, drone detection technologies, chemical and other threat filtration and detection systems."
$180 million for a new White House visitor security screening facility.
$175 million for Secret Service training "in the modern threat environment."
$175 million for improving security for Secret Service protectees.
$150 million for the Secret Service's "work to counter drones, airspace incursions, unmanned systems, biological threats, and other emerging threats through investments in state-of-the-art technologies."
$100 million for security at "high-profile national events."

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Exclusive: How the White House is justifying its $1B East Wing ask

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