Trump Uses Black History Month Event to Promote $400M White House Ballroom, Sparks Backlash

President #DonaldTrump is facing a wave of intense criticism after he appeared to pivot away from the significance of #BlackHistoryMonth to promote his controversial $400 million White House ballroom project. Speaking at a reception on February 18, 2026, the President spent a significant portion of his remarks detailing the "opulence" and "necessity" of the new glass-and-gold addition to the Executive Mansion, while only briefly touching on the historical contributions of African Americans.

This #BreakingNews report analyzes the #Inquisitr breakdown of the "jarring" transition in the President’s speech, where he claimed the 90,000-square-foot expansion would be "the finest ballroom ever built." We investigate the reactions from the #CongressionalBlackCaucus and why critics say the President used the event as a "sales pitch" for his real estate legacy rather than a day of national reflection. From the #Signalgate leaks regarding the demolition of the East Wing to the viral clips of the crowd's audible silence, we break down the most controversial moment of the 2026 celebration.

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