'Bad timing': Trump scolded by Senate Republican for ballroom construction during shutdown

At least one Republican senator is dismayed to see President Donald Trump begin construction on his controversial new White House ballroom: Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC).

Speaking to HuffPost's Igor Bobic, Tillis said that the "timing is bad" for Trump to do something so lavish.

“We’re in the middle of a shutdown," said Tillis. "Got a couple of other things going on that we should probably focus on ahead of a building project.”

The Trump administration's ballroom project, which they boast will be paid for entirely with taxpayer money, is slated to cost $200 million, financed by donations from private companies, and will be considerably larger than the original White House building itself.

While the administration claimed that no aspect of the current facility will be altered to build the new one, new images have emerged of construction that is demolishing portions of the East Wing.

Amid outrage, the White House has dismissed any concerns, asserting that renovations to the East Wing are commonplace and not the same as alterations to the original building. "Construction has always been a part of the evolution of the White House. Losers who are quick to criticize need to stop their pearl clutching and understand the building needs to be modernized," said White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, known for his confrontational and puerile responses to reporters.

Tillis, who is retiring next year, has increasingly grown critical of the Trump administration, leading some to suspect he is more freely speaking his mind now that he is unburdened from the threat of a primary challenge.