Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 5/1/2026-5/8/2026

Criticizing Trump's Ballooning White House Vanity Project

[Hartford, CT] - U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), wrote Clark Construction CEO Robert Moser and the National Park Service (NPS) regarding a no-bid contract awarded to Clark Construction to make repairs to public fountains in Lafayette Square, across the street from the White House - which occurred just a few months after President Donald Trump chose the company to build his ballroom. According to new reporting in the New York Times, the previous administration estimated the work on the Lafayette Square project to cost $3.3 million; documents show that a new contract with Clark Construction has ballooned to $17.4 million in taxpayer dollars.

"The federal government's ballooning payments to Clark Construction and the circumstances of its recent contract to renovate Lafayette Park raise troubling questions about whether excess taxpayer dollars are being diverted to Clark Construction, and whether its unilateral selection may constitute an undisclosed reward for its central role in President Trump's preferred vanity project," Blumenthal wrote.

In October, Blumenthal wrote Clark Construction requesting information regarding its selection as the builder of President Trump's ballroom. Clark Construction's response shared no details on how the firm was selected to build the ballroom nor the terms of its agreement with the Trump White House.

As Ranking Member of PSI, Blumenthal has led an inquiry into the use of private donations to fund President Trump's $300 million ballroom and has repeatedly raised concerns about donors that have deep financial, business, or other personal interests before the Trump Administration.

In December, Blumenthal wrote several individuals, including Roblox CEO David Baszucki, demanding answers about their reported contribution to the ballroom following an October 15, 2025 dinner that raised for the project. As part of his inquiry, Blumenthal also wrote to Shalom Baranes Associates Architects, which has taken on the project following President Trump's clash with the previous architect.

Blumenthal has also written to each of the reported donors to the White House ballroom project as well as donors previously kept secret by the White House to seek information about the terms of their donations and any potential deals made in exchange for contributions.

The full text of the letter to Clark Construction is available here. The full text of the letter to NPS is available here.

Blumenthal further slammed the massive no-bid contract on Twitter/X.

"The estimated cost for the Lafayette Square project was $3.3M. The firm building Trump's ballroom got the contract without bidding & now it will cost taxpayers $17.4M. I'm demanding answers to understand if Clark's unilateral selection is a reward for building the ballroom," wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

Blumenthal further condemned Trump's White House ballroom project after Senate Republicans proposed $1 billion to pay for new White House security measures-leading to disagreements over whether the legislation would cover Trump's planned ballroom.

"Trump's gilded boondoggle balloons. Republicans mock fiscal prudence & respect for American history by aiding & abetting their dear leader's gold plated monstrosity-a $1 billion monument to himself. The private donors are paying to play-sweetheart contracts, cancelled investigations, rigged regulations & more. Republicans should join us in saying enough is enough. No more repugnant destruction & construction. No more repellent donor corruption. No more revolting defiance of law, history & taste," wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

Blumenthal joined CNN on Thursday to discuss Trump's ballroom project and the rising costs associated with construction.

"This Trump ballroom is a gold-plated boondoggle. He never should have torn down the East Wing. It's not his house, it's the People's House. He did it without coming to Congress for any kind of funding, now they are trying to use tax-payer money-which I think is a mistake-for the construction, without Congress overseeing exactly what that structure is. And there is no need for the kind of massive monstrosity that they are contemplating," said Blumenthal on CNN.

The full video of Blumenthal on CNN can be found here.

Urging Fair Treatment of Combat-Injured Veterans

Blumenthal, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, joined veteran advocates to urge immediate Congressional passage of the Major Richard Star Act, bipartisan legislation focused on ending injustices faced by combat-injured veterans. Currently, only veterans with disability ratings above 50 percent and more than 20 years of service are eligible to receive the full amount of their Department of Defense (DOD) retirement and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability payments-leaving behind more than 50,000 combat-injured military retirees. The Major Richard Star Act will fix this unjust policy for medical retirees with a combat-related disability-providing them their full VA disability and DOD retirement payments.

This legislation has overwhelming support from the majority of both chambers of Congress, with 79 bipartisan cosponsors in the Senate and 323 bipartisan cosponsors in the House. However, Senate Republican leadership has blocked two attempts from Blumenthal in October and March to advance this overwhelming bipartisan support, including an effort to give the bill a simple floor vote. Last week, Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pledged the Departments support for the bill, following pressure from Blumenthal.

This bipartisan legislation is named in honor of Major Richard A. Star, a decorated war veteran who was forced to medically retire due to his combat-related injuries. Major Star fought to fix this injustice facing combat-injured veterans until he lost his battle with cancer in 2021.

"What we've learned is the cost of caring for our veterans is part of the cost of war. As I said to Secretary of Defense in the hearing last week, we are spending more than a billion dollars a day on the war in Iran-we can afford the money to pay our veterans both disability benefits and their retirement pay," said Blumenthal.

"Right now, combat-injured veterans are literally docked, dollar for dollar, every dollar they receive, for disability compensation from their retirement pay. Their retirement pay is reduced, dollar-for-dollar, for every dollar they receive in disability benefits. In other words, combat-injured veterans are penalized for their injuries-when they literally served and sacrificed for our country, and their injuries are the result of that service and sacrifice," continued Blumenthal. "I am here demanding a vote so we can do right by our veterans and make sure we pay the costs of war. Do not reduce retirement pay simply because a veteran is receiving disability compensation as a result of injuries during service. That's a principle we should all respect. It's a cost of war that we can and must afford."

Blumenthal further highlighted the need for the Major Richard Star Act on Twitter/X.

"There is no excuse to oppose the Major Richard Star Act-veterans support it, a majority of the Senate supports it, Sec. Hegseth supports it. I will move again for a vote on this critical legislation that removes the wounded veteran tax imposed on brave combat-injured veterans," wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

Sounding the Alarm on Surging Youth Sports Betting

Blumenthal joined Sacred Heart University students for a roundtable discussion on the risks of sports betting among young people.The roundtable comes amid increasing attention on the sports betting industry, including questions about advertising practices and the ease with which users can place bets in seconds from their phones. These features are designed to encourage repeat wagering and increase the accessibility and appeal of these platforms to young users. In February, a Sacred Heart University poll found that over half of respondents are concerned about the effects and prevalence of gambling advertisements for American youths.

"What I've learned in the last few years is that young people are a target for the gambling companies. They are a major target, maybe even the predominant target for gambling corporate giants. What I see is young people and people of all ages becoming addicted to gambling. Gambling addiction is perhaps the fastest growing abuse disorder in the United States. Kids' lives are being hurt when they've only begot. Maybe the most heartbreaking thing for me is to see people lose their jobs, their careers, their families, sometimes their lives. We should not be blind to the fatal effects of gambling addiction, when people lose hope. And it can happen so quickly, without really awareness and without help," said Blumenthal.

Blumenthal leads several bills aimed at addressing the risks of sports betting, including the Supporting Affordability and Fairness with Every Bet (SAFE Bet) Act, which would establish nationwide standards for the mobile sports gambling industry, and the Gambling Addiction Recovery, Investment and Treatment (GRIT) Act, which would direct a portion of federal sports betting revenue toward addiction treatment and research. He also recently introduced the Prediction Markets Security and Integrity Act to prevent abuse and fraud in emerging prediction markets.

Blumenthal highlighted the need for legislation enacting guardrails against the dangers of sports betting on Twitter/X.

"Students & teachers at Sacred Heart Univ. conveyed invaluable insights about gambling pitfalls & problems, including addiction. Their moving experiences bolster my fight for safeguards like my SAFE Bet & GRIT Acts," wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

Combatting Invasive Hydrilla in CT Waterways

Blumenthal joined advocates in Hartford to urge $18 million in federal funding for research and maintenance of hydrilla throughout the Connecticut River and lakes across the state. Hydrilla is a rapidly-spreading, invasive aquatic species that has been found in the Connecticut River and lakes across the state. An aggressive eradication and management program is necessary to safeguard the Connecticut River as an environmental resource and driver of the local economy.

Blumenthal is leading his colleagues in an appropriations letter urging $18 million in federal funding to combat hydrilla in the Connecticut River, emphasizing the need for an aggressive eradication and management program to safeguard the river. He has led similar letters of support to fully fund hydrilla research and testing since 2022.

"We are here because the hydrilla threat if anything is greater this year than ever before, and the need for more federal funding is more urgent. And that's why I'm writing to my colleagues, asking for $18 million, which is more than double what was appropriated last year. The amount that we received in the last Fiscal Year was a good start, but we need the Army Corps of Engineers to have the resources to continue this program-in fact, increase its scope and scale," said Blumenthal. "Hydrilla spreads more pervasively and more threateningly than any other invasive species, and certainly more than any other aquatic invasive species. It is a curse. It can imperil drinking water, recreational activity, it threatens and kills other wildlife. This invasive species wasn't meant to be in the Connecticut River or in our lakes."

Blumenthal further highlighted the need for increased federal funding to combat hydrilla on Twitter/X.

"Hydrilla is an invasive, spreading peril-an ugly aqua species that suffocates plants & fish, threatens drinking water supplies, undercuts recreation & tourism on the CT River & other rivers & lakes. Fighting it requires more resources for the Army Corps of Engineers, which is why I'm demanding $18 million for FY2027," wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

Blumenthal Bulletin

Blumenthal joined MS NOW's Morning Joe to discuss Trump's judicial nominees and their inability to provide impartial, honest answers, including refusing to say Biden won the 2020 election.

Blumenthal joined CNN on Thursday to discuss the skyrocketing costs of Trump's war in Iran.

Blumenthal demanded the Trump Administration resume Russian Oil Sanctions.

Blumenthal demanded accountability for the dangerous mistreatment of pregnant women in ICE detention ahead of Mother's Day.

Blumenthal released a statement on the $18 million contract for Sikorsky to produce parts for helicopters.

Blumenthal and his colleagues demanded the gun manufacturer Mountain Billy Gun Lab halt marketing campaigns of assault-style weapons to minors.

Blumenthal joined his Democratic colleagues to kill Trump's Executive Order restricting vote by mail and to press USPS on the unconstitutional Executive Order.

Blumenthal joined StayWell to announce $750,000 in federal funding to help modernize their health information system.

Blumenthal joined state legislators as they enact safeguards against ICE's spreading tentacles and vicious tactics threatening Connecticut.

Blumenthal celebrated federal funds allowing reconstruction for the Gold Star Memorial Bridge.

Blumenthal congratulated Connecticut's Small Businesses Awards winners.

Blumenthal called for passage of the Responsible Firearms Marketing Act.

Blumenthal attended the USS Idaho Commissioning.

Blumenthal joined the ARI Walk in Stamford.

Blumenthal attended the University of Bridgeport's undergraduate commencement.

Blumenthal attended the Meriden Daffodil Parade.

Blumenthal attended the Bruce Museum's Annual Gala.

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