From the article: President Truman publicly expressed praise for the completed work, but the night of his return to the White House he wrote in his private dia

From the article: President Truman publicly expressed praise for the completed work, but the night of his return to the White House he wrote in his private diary: "With all the trouble and worry it is worth it – but not 5½ million dollars! if I could have had charge of the construction it would have been done for half the money and in half the time!"