Trump Details Military Complex Above and Below New White House Ballroom

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump said on May 19 that when finished, his planned White House ballroom will be the “safest building ever built” and will serve both as a ceremonial venue and as a military-grade facility to help protect the nation’s capital.

Speaking to reporters about the project’s construction progress, Trump said the structure would be designed to withstand both drone and missile attacks, with “a massive drone capacity.”

He said the building will have a drone port on the roof to help protect all of Washington.

The structure will feature a hospital, research facilities, meeting rooms, and dedicated spaces for military personnel.

Trump initially announced the 90,000-square-foot White House East Wing ballroom project with an expected cost of $200 million. The estimated cost for the project has since increased to $400 million.

While standing in front of the ballroom construction site, where dozens of workers in safety vests were hammering, welding, and moving materials, Trump said the project is on schedule and within budget.

“The only budget change would be that we doubled the size at the request of the military,” he said.

The president said the building goes six stories underground and is highly complex, integrating both drone and missile protection systems, along with drone capabilities on the roof. According to Trump, the roof will also accommodate snipers, who will have “a very clear view” of Washington because of the building’s height.

The ballroom project, envisioned by Trump for years as a classical addition to the executive mansion, has faced repeated legal hurdles.

“This is really for other presidents. This is not for me,” Trump said. “This is my gift to the United States of America. I’m going to be able to use it very little.”

Senate Republicans sought to include a $1 billion provision in the recent immigration and border enforcement funding package to finance the White House ballroom expansion and Secret Service package.

The Secret Service had requested the money after an alleged assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner last month, when Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were evacuated.

However, on May 16, Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough blocked the proposed provision from being included in the budget reconciliation bill. According to MacDonough, the proposal breaks the rules of the reconciliation process. The parliamentarian’s go-ahead is traditionally required to approve individual items passed under the partisan process.

Since he took office, Trump has championed building a new ballroom funded by private donations. Despite being a national landmark, the White House has limited space to accommodate large gatherings.

The East Room, the largest event space on the property, fits about 200 guests. The State Dining Room, used for formal dinners and receptions, holds 140 people. As a result, large gatherings are often hosted in temporary tents built on the South Lawn.

Trump said he wanted the ballroom’s exterior to look as impressive as the Supreme Court’s, or even better.

“I’ve always admired the facade of the Supreme Court,” Trump told reporters.

“The thing I do best in life is build. I’m a great builder, and I build beautiful products,” Trump said, adding that the ballroom project has already exceeded expectations.

“I think it’s going to be potentially the most beautiful building in all of Washington.”