Jen Psaki

We'll be right back and I'll explain all of it.

America first.

Very familiar phrase, isn't it?

I mean, it's been the rallying cry behind Donald Trump's entire appeal as a politician.

One of the main reasons he has stuck around is a fixture of American political life for over a decade.

And an essential part of the fairy tale, he tells over and over and over again that only he can make America great again because only he will always put America first.

It's supposedly the basis of his entire policy platform, to the degree he even has one, including what has been a main priority of his second term, implementing his sweeping and shambolic tariff plan.

According to Trump, his tariffs are supposed to protect and boost U.S.

manufacturing.

In fact, one American industry he has long claimed is near and dear to his heart.

American Steel, over and over, America first.

The promise to his base has not only helped him get back in the White House, but a year back in power, it has helped him maintain the support of many of his fanatical supporters, even as he does one unprecedented and crazy thing after another.

Like, say, tearing down and destroying the entire historic East Wing of the White House.

just so he can try to build the giant, gilded, gaudy ballroom of his dreams.

Despite everything that America has been facing since the start of Trump 2.0, the ballroom is one of those topics that Trump just cannot help but bring up at every possible opportunity.

And now we're learning to the extent that Trump's beloved ballroom is on a collision course with his promises to put America first.

Here was Trump last October announcing a curious donation to his ballroom construction project.

It's great steel, not garbage steel.

So one would think that means the America first president is most definitely using American steel for his big, beautiful ballroom, right?

The New York Times headline, though, White House secures foreign steel for ballroom project.