Editing Openai/6954a52b-dda0-800a-b640-26e95c35a087 (section)

=== Assistant: Here’s the verifiable truth behind the widely shared claim about Barack Obama’s basketball court: ===
Here’s the verifiable truth behind the widely shared claim about Barack Obama’s basketball court:

===== 🏀 Did Obama spend $376 million on a basketball court? =====

No. The frequently circulated figure of $300 million + (often cited as ~$376 million) for a White House basketball court is false and not supported by official budget records or credible reporting. That number is a misattribution of broader White House renovation appropriations, not a cost for a basketball court project. BreezyScroll<ref>{{cite web|title=BreezyScroll|url=https://www.breezyscroll.com/world/the-us/obama-basketball-court-fact-check/|publisher=breezyscroll.com|access-date=2026-01-01}}</ref>

===== 🏗️ What actually happened =====
* Early in his presidency, Obama had the existing White House tennis court on the South Lawn adapted so it could be used for both tennis and full-court basketball by adding hoops and markings. NRIPage<ref>{{cite web|title=NRIPage|url=https://www.nripage.com/articles/general/2025/10/28/truth-behind-obama-s-alleged-376-million-white-house-basketball-court|publisher=nripage.com|date=2025-10-28|access-date=2026-01-01}}</ref>
* This was not a new standalone facility or an expensive build-out—just a modest adaptation of an existing court. ThePricer<ref>{{cite web|title=ThePricer|url=https://www.thepricer.org/how-much-did-obamas-basketball-court-cost/|publisher=thepricer.org|access-date=2026-01-01}}</ref>

===== 💰 What did it cost? =====
* There is no official cost listed in public records for this conversion. BreezyScroll<ref>{{cite web|title=BreezyScroll|url=https://www.breezyscroll.com/world/the-us/obama-basketball-court-fact-check/|publisher=breezyscroll.com|access-date=2026-01-01}}</ref>
* Independent construction cost comparisons suggest that a high-end outdoor basketball court typically costs from tens of thousands up to perhaps low hundreds of thousands of dollars—orders of magnitude less than $376 million. Factually<ref>{{cite web|title=Factually|url=https://factually.co/fact-checks/politics/obama-white-house-basketball-court-cost-46d1a2|publisher=factually.co|access-date=2026-01-01}}</ref>
* Some estimates put realistic costs, for similar projects, well below $200,000. Factually<ref>{{cite web|title=Factually|url=https://factually.co/fact-checks/politics/obama-white-house-basketball-court-cost-46d1a2|publisher=factually.co|access-date=2026-01-01}}</ref>

===== 💵 Was it funded by taxpayers or privately? =====
* There’s no credible evidence that taxpayers funded the basketball court conversion itself as a distinct, large-dollar item. Federal budget documents from Obama’s terms show no line item matching a high-cost court project. Factually<ref>{{cite web|title=Factually|url=https://factually.co/fact-checks/politics/white-house-basketball-court-obama-funding-5ccdc0|publisher=factually.co|access-date=2026-01-01}}</ref>
* Multiple fact-checks conclude the adaptation was likely privately financed or covered through routine White House operational/maintenance funds, not as a separate taxpayer-financed construction contract. Factually<ref>{{cite web|title=Factually|url=https://factually.co/fact-checks/politics/obama-basketball-court-funding-taxpayers-private-96ae2c|publisher=factually.co|access-date=2026-01-01}}</ref>
* Because the exact billing for this minor update was not publicly disclosed, it’s not definitively documented whether private donations, the Obamas, or standard maintenance funds covered it, but no evidence ties it to a large taxpayer outlay. Factually<ref>{{cite web|title=Factually|url=https://factually.co/fact-checks/politics/obama-basketball-court-funding-taxpayers-private-96ae2c|publisher=factually.co|access-date=2026-01-01}}</ref>

===== 📌 Bottom line =====
* The $376 million claim is misinformation—a viral political talking point, not an accurate expenditure. BreezyScroll<ref>{{cite web|title=BreezyScroll|url=https://www.breezyscroll.com/world/the-us/obama-basketball-court-fact-check/|publisher=breezyscroll.com|access-date=2026-01-01}}</ref>
* Obama’s basketball court was a simple adaptation of a tennis court with modest cost implications and no documented giant taxpayer bill. NRIPage<ref>{{cite web|title=NRIPage|url=https://www.nripage.com/articles/general/2025/10/28/truth-behind-obama-s-alleged-376-million-white-house-basketball-court|publisher=nripage.com|date=2025-10-28|access-date=2026-01-01}}</ref>

If you want, I can point you to specific fact-check articles or budget entries that debunk the viral claim in detail.