Citizen Ben Investigates
Ben Cable (Originally Published Oct 22, 2025 on Substack)
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Donald Trump says he’s running “the most transparent administration in history.” His press office repeats it like a jingle. “Most transparent & accessible President in American history,” they bragged this spring. On Feb. 23, they even packaged the line for the Sunday shows: most transparent, full stop.
Now let’s hold that up to the light.
The Pentagon’s New Muzzle: Don’t Talk to Congress. Don’t Talk to the Press.
Inside the five–sided fortress, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth just ordered Pentagon staff to get prior approval before sharing any information with Congress—routing even basic correspondence through a political filter. Translation: oversight on a choke chain.
On the press side, the rules are even starker: journalists were told to sign a pledge not to obtain “unauthorized” material (even if it isn’t classified) or lose access. Dozens refused—and walked out, surrendering their badges rather than agree to a gag order that makes whistleblowing a punishable offense. So much for transparency.
The Ballroom That Ate the East Wing—And the Paper Trail
As jackhammers chew into the East Wing, the White House says it will eventually submit plans for Trump’s new 90,000-square-foot ballroom—after demolition already began. Price tag: $200–$250 million. The administration insists it’s privately funded, but refuses to fully disclose who’s writing the checks. “Trust us,” they say. Hard pass.
Reporters have tallied corporate donors pledging eight figures, with a nonprofit that partners with the National Park Service acting as the pass-through—an entity that typically doesn’t have to reveal its donors. If you’re hearing “anonymous corporate money buys its name in the People’s House,” you’re not wrong.
PBS laid it out plainly this week: Who pays? Trump and “private donations,” says the White House—no public money for the ballroom itself. That still leaves ethics, influence, and disclosure questions unanswered, especially as demolition raced ahead of public review.
The lack of accessible donor lists and comprehensive public design reviews undermines the very essence of transparency, leaving the public in the dark regarding critical decisions. As preservation groups and architects highlight their concerns, it becomes imperative to challenge the status quo. The administration’s commitment to openness is rendered hollow when key information is withheld. Therefore, we must advocate for a robust framework that prioritizes transparency in governance, ensuring that citizens can actively engage in the decision-making process and hold leaders accountable.
And this isn’t the only makeover: the Rose Garden redo clocked in around $1.9 million, paid by private donations funneled through the Trust for the National Mall—again, a route with limited donor transparency.
The Gift Plane With a Classified Price Tag
Then there’s the “gift” jet from Qatar. The U.S. accepted an “unconditional donation” of a luxury 747-8 for presidential use. But the cost to retrofit it—security upgrades included—is classified. Lawmakers say it could hit $1 billion, and an Air Force official told Congress the money would be pulled from the Sentinel ICBM program. “Most transparent” apparently means “ask fewer questions.”
Who pays the ongoing security, maintenance, and operations? You do—through the Air Force budget—while the refurbishment price remains in the dark. That’s not openness; that’s a black box with wings.
The Vanishing Data Problem: CDC, Environment, and the Public’s Right to Know
Transparency isn’t only about press badges and building permits. It’s about data—the lifeblood of public health and environmental protection. Researchers have already documented how early-term actions in 2025 delayed access to, or removed key public datasets—hindering outbreak detection, risk assessment, and local decision-making. Journalists and scientists warn that when public access to data disappears, the public pays.
At EPA, watchdogs say the administration is re-opening the door to political interference in science and slowing the release of findings—yet another form of opacity that hides real-world risks behind a bureaucratic scrim.
Follow the Money: Crypto Cash & Donor Shadows
On the political money front, the crypto industry has flooded Trump-aligned groups with tens of millions in 2025 alone—while the White House pushes the industry’s wish list (stablecoin law, “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve,” fast-track regulatory bills). Even friendly outlets note the conflict-of-interest questions when policy and personal profit march in lockstep.
Separate tallies show Trump’s main super PAC amassed a nine-figure war chest in the first half of 2025, with crypto donors as a key block—another reason disclosure, enforcement, and press scrutiny matter. If you’re going to boast “most transparent,” open the books.
Meanwhile: “We’ll Tell You Later” Government
From freezing or slow-walking funds Congress already approved, to routing routine oversight through political offices, this administration has made opacity a governing style—not a bug. (Appropriators now run a public tracker to quantify how much is being bottled up.)
And while the White House insists it will eventually submit plans for the ballroom, demolition is already underway—historic review be damned. Preservation groups and architects are waving red flags, but without transparent donor lists and full public design review, the public can’t judge the tradeoffs, risks, or influence.
Bottom Line
Trump says: “Most transparent administration in history.”
Reality: Gagged reporters, tightened congressional access, classified costs, donor shadows, and datasets dimmed or delayed. That’s not transparency. That’s a blackout with a chandelier.
—according to the White House’s own messaging (Feb. 23, Apr. 30), Axios’ memo scoop, AP’s walk-out reporting, Reuters’ ballroom timeline, PBS’ cost breakdown, and primary documents on data access and science interference.
What you can do (right now)
- Demand disclosures: Ask your representatives to require full donor transparency for any project on White House grounds and to bar federal contractors from “naming rights” or quid-pro-quo visibility. Cite the ballroom’s private-donor structure and request hearings.
- Protect the press: Support newsroom lawsuits against the Pentagon gag and demand restoration of standard access rules and regular briefings. Oversight dies in silence.
- Defend public data: Back scientists’ and watchdogs’ calls to restore timely CDC/EPA data access—with statutory deadlines and penalties for unjustified delays.
- Follow the crypto money: Push for real-time PAC donor disclosure and conflict-of-interest guards when industries receive swift policy wins.
- Keep receipts on the jet: Demand unclassified cost ranges, funding sources, and a guarantee that no strategic programs get raided to gild a “gift.”
- Please Support Citizen Ben. Subscribe for free or upgrade to paid (only $5.00)
Transparency isn’t a slogan—it’s a system. If the system’s being dismantled, our job is to document it, expose it, and restore it—before the chandelier drops in the dark.
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