Overview

• Congressional notices say tours will be unavailable beginning Sept. 1, with the White House not providing a date for resumption and some offices describing the pause as indefinite.
• Lawmakers’ offices that process tour requests report being told the hiatus is a temporary pause, and some are still collecting future requests pending guidance.
• The new event space is planned near the East Wing between the Executive Residence and the Treasury Department, with seating for roughly 650 people.
• Trump has said he is funding the project himself, while reporting describes the financing as coming from private contributions for a $200 million build.
• Constituents have received cancellation emails and voiced frustration, and critics including Sen. Amy Klobuchar have questioned closing public access for the project, which follows Rose Garden paving and Oval Office redecorating.