In a surprising turn of events, CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins caught the attention of conservatives by setting the record straight during a live broadcast. The incident unfolded when Democrat Jasmine Crockett made an inaccurate statement about President Trump’s priorities regarding renovations at the White House. Crockett criticized the president, claiming he was more focused on a “ballroom that no one asked for” than other pressing issues. Collins quickly intervened, clarifying that Crockett had misinterpreted the press secretary’s comments.

Collins explained that Karoline Leavitt’s remarks were in response to a question about whether the president was involved in any additional renovations at the White House. Collins noted that Leavitt mentioned the ballroom as a top priority only within the context of planned renovations, not as the administration’s overall focus. This on-air correction caught many conservatives off guard, prompting reactions on social media. One user commented on the clip, expressing astonishment at CNN’s fact-checking, while another humorously remarked, “So that’s why it’s so damn cold out, hell did freeze over!”

The controversy surrounding the East Wing renovations has not been limited to Crockett. Fellow Democrat Eric Swalwell also voiced his disapproval, challenging future presidential candidates to demolish the ballroom if they win the 2028 election. The ballroom’s construction, which is reportedly funded by private donors at a cost of over $250 million, has sparked outrage among Trump’s critics. Swalwell even shared an image of the ongoing construction, urging Democrats to pledge to dismantle the “Trump Ballroom” on their first day in office.

Alternatively, he said nominees could consider renaming it to the ‘Barack Obama Ballroom’ after reports emerged last week that Trump plans to name the space ‘The President Donald J. Trump Ballroom.’ ‘A Trump monument to corruption will not stand,’ Swalwell added. And Crockett’s admission in her CNN interview that she has ‘no idea’ when the government shutdown will end comes as Republican insiders told the Daily Mail they expect it could become the longest in history.

The funding debacle stems from Senate Democrats’ opposition to a Republican-authored government funding bill that lacks provisions for Obamacare funding. Currently in its 29th day at the time of writing, the shutdown is poised to soon become the longest period in American history during which the federal government has not been fully operational. Trump set the current record during his first term for a shutdown that lasted 35 days, between December 2018 and January 2019. The dispute then was over billions in border wall funding, which Democrats objected to and never ultimately included in the funding package.

If the government is not funded before next Wednesday, November 5, the ongoing funding gap will surpass that first term feat. ‘My current bet on the office whiteboard is November 6,’ one GOP aide told the Daily Mail. ‘I know a lot of offices are having internal bets on how long it goes on.’ ‘I pray to God this won’t go down as the longest shutdown in history, but I really don’t see an off ramp,’ another senior Senate aide told the Daily Mail. ‘Unless something really shakes the Democrats, I’d say this could go as far as Christmas.’