Nailing down what exactly Donald Trump is doing to the White House and who’s paying for it has been surprisingly difficult. Most notably, Americans only realized the president was leveling the whole East Wing to build a White House ballroom after construction vehicles started ripping into it. And in yesterday’s Truth Social post celebrating the U.S. Supreme Court allowing construction to continue, Trump claimed he’s building the ballroom “at no cost to the American Taxpayer.” In June, the Washington Post reported that project summaries actually put the overall cost to taxpayers at about $307 million.

So it’s important to check the receipts for everything related to the Trump White House. Politico did just that and discovered that taxpayers are also footing a $253,000 bill for lighting in the White House bowling alley:

On July 28, the General Services Administration, under the auspices of the Executive Office of the President, awarded a nearly $253,000 contract for lighting work on the two-lane Harry S. Truman Bowling Alley, according to public contract awards reviewed by West Wing Playbook. And on Aug. 18, GSA awarded another contract to the same contractor, Charles Mann Enterprises, for $8,800 in escort services — essentially accompanying outside workers through secure areas — tied to the bowling alley project.

On July 28, the General Services Administration, under the auspices of the Executive Office of the President, awarded a nearly $253,000 contract for lighting work on the two-lane Harry S. Truman........

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