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Does Trump Plan to Build the Third Temple? White House Gives Surprising Answer |WATCH
A Jewish American journalist asked the White House if President Trump planned to build the Third Temple, a question that follows a controversial $250 million private project to build a massive new ballroom at the East Wing.
A routine White House press briefing took an extraordinary turn when a Jewish American journalist directly asked Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt if President Donald Trump intended to build the Third Temple in Jerusalem. The question was posed against the backdrop of massive, privately-funded construction underway at the White House's East Wing.
Leavitt responded succinctly to the highly unusual query, stating, "The subject did not come up, it did not come up, I have nothing to release on the subject."
The question stemmed from recent extensive construction at the White House, which is drawing considerable attention. Officially, bulldozers are tearing down sections of the East Wing to make way for a new grand ballroom designed to accommodate around one thousand guests. This colossal space is intended to host state dinners, award ceremonies, and receptions for foreign leaders.
A $250 Million Legacy Project
President Trump is positioning the massive building project as a cornerstone of his legacy, emphasizing that the endeavor is not being funded by public money. He claims the estimated $250 million required for the construction comes entirely from private donations raised from "super-tycoons" across various industries, whom he hosted at the White House last week to launch the project.
However, the rapid nature and scale of the construction are generating intense scrutiny. US media outlets have raised serious questions regarding the legality and transparency of the demolition and building permits, as well as the underlying legal basis for the sweeping changes.
Trump has dismissed the doubts with characteristic confidence, and in response to a reporter who dared to question the legitimacy of the project, the President fired back, "You are a C-grade journalist, as you have always been."
The unexpected question about the Third Temple, while immediately shut down by the Press Secretary, underscores the often-unconventional nature of the Trump presidency and the speculation it generates among various religious and political groups regarding his long-term goals and legacy-defining projects, both at home and abroad.