How Things Work

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) has issued memo to US Secret Service announcing a probe of "waste, fraud and abuse" in the Trump White House ballroom project

Blumenthal asks agency to turn over records on the reported $352 million in Secret Service funds "redirected" to Ballroom pic.twitter.com/zbWC5KxwNh

— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) June 22, 2026

The base concept here is responsibility for how public funds accounted for, and used.

That concept is alien to Donald Trump. It’s not his money, what does he care? (Thanks, John Roberts. No, that case doesn’t strictly apply. But thanks to it, Trump thinks he’s invisible and bulletproof.)

MacFarlane: When there was a lawsuit filed to stop the Trump changes to the Reflecting Pool, the plaintiffs argued that it's possible that the Trump team does long-term damage to the pool. Seems they were prophetic. pic.twitter.com/gEC7nWNwBt

— MeidasClips (@MeidasClips) June 22, 2026

In short, he has no concept how government works. 

OOF: The plaintiffs who unsuccessfully sued trying to stop Trump from renovating the Reflecting Pool have just uncorked a scathing update to the judge

"This is the foreseeable result of defendants’ decision to bypass the consultative process required by law and which must…

— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) June 22, 2026

OOF: The plaintiffs who unsuccessfully sued trying to stop Trump from renovating the Reflecting Pool have just uncorked a scathing update to the judge

"This is the foreseeable result of defendants’ decision to bypass the consultative process required by law and which must occur before the government can alter our nation’s most sacred spaces"

"It should go without saying, Congress required agencies to consult with experts and public before making changes to historic properties for a reason. The public is now witnessing what happens when, instead, agencies barrel ahead with ill-conceived plans in a hasty manner to meet an arbitrary deadline imposed by the White House"

There is, in other words, a reason government operates the way it does, and much of it has to do with accounting for public funds. A concept as alien to Trump as quantum computing.

The historic preservationists who sued to stop the Reflecting Pool project urge a judge to intervene NOW:

"The project is going to be reopened—and significant work may lie ahead. Should Plaintiffs prevail, there is thus now an opportunity for the Court to require Defendants to… pic.twitter.com/A6VIHVCb75

— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) June 22, 2026

The historic preservationists who sued to stop the Reflecting Pool project urge a judge to intervene NOW:

"The project is going to be reopened—and significant work may lie ahead. Should Plaintiffs prevail, there is thus now an opportunity for the Court to require Defendants to undertake the study required by Congress before they perform significant additional work and more damage is done"