The White House received backlash for shelling out $139,000 for this year's Christmas tree lighting ceremony, topped with an additional $171,000 for the event, all while the US gripes with growing inflation costs.
The federal government appeared to be pulling out all the stops for the 2021 National Christmas Tree Lighting Festivities, which will include a live audience, TMZ reported.
This event will be a return to normal after last year's ceremony took place virtually due to the pandemic, and the lighting will be slightly cheaper than the $160,000 the Trump administration paid in 2019.
Still, many found the spending a bit tone deaf as inflation soared to 6.2 percent this fall, the highest it's been since 1990 - causing the price of basic goods and services to soar in the US.
Jill Biden welcomed the White House Christmas tree on Monday. The lighting ceremony will cost $139,000 with an additional $171,000 to hold the live event
Many criticized President Joe Biden for the costly ceremony while he tours Nantucket, Massachusetts for the Thanksgiving holiday weekened
Inflation has risen to 6.2 percent, the highest it's been since 1990
The costs of basic goods and services have shot up and are expected to increase
The lavish tree lighting festivities brought out a flurry of tweets against the excessive spending as Biden and the White House had tried to downplay the effects of inflation in the previous months.
One Twitter user named Gwenn wrote, 'Your Tax dollars hard at work.'
Another user with the handle J.J.M also criticized the spending's lack of Christmas charity, tweeting, 'Money that could be helping those in need but go off.
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