Sioux City Times

Senator Joni Ernst, representing Iowa in the U.S. Senate, commented on government spending and federal property management in a series of posts on July 22, 2025.

In her first post at 14:47 UTC, Ernst wrote, "The California crazy train is coming to a squealing halt!".

Shortly after, at 14:48 UTC, she addressed the Department of Housing and Urban Development's move from its headquarters, stating, "Glad @HUDgov is moving out of this run-down mess but taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to continue to foot the bill for this fixer-upper. Auctioning off this prime piece of DC real estate would generate $132 million and save taxpayers $225 million in deferred maintenance."

Later that day at 16:48 UTC, Ernst expanded her criticism to broader federal expenditures: "From the California crazy train to the Fed’s “Taj Mahal on the National Mall,” there are billions in spending that need to be put on the chopping block. Fire up another rescissions package!"

Ernst has been vocal about reducing government waste and has previously advocated for selling unused or underutilized federal properties as a means to save taxpayer money. The mention of "the California crazy train" refers to ongoing debates over high-speed rail projects in California that have faced significant delays and cost overruns. Her reference to "the Fed’s 'Taj Mahal on the National Mall'" alludes to criticisms regarding expensive federal building projects.