President Trump said late Sunday that the U.S. military is constructing a \u201cmassive complex\u201d beneath the White House as part of ongoing renovations tied to a controversial new ballroom project on the East Wing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump revealed new details about the underground development, which he suggested had only recently become public due to legal challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cNow, the military is building a big complex under the ballroom, which has come out recently because of a stupid lawsuit that was filed,\u201d Trump said. \u201cBut the military is building a massive complex under the ballroom, and that\u2019s under construction, and we\u2019re doing very well.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The president described the above-ground ballroom as a highly fortified structure, emphasizing modern security features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have all bullet-proof glass, we have drone-proof roofs, ceilings,\u201d Trump said while displaying newly produced renderings of the project. \u201cUnfortunately, we\u2019re living in an age when that\u2019s a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump had previously indicated that elements of the project were intended to remain undisclosed. During a Cabinet meeting last week, he acknowledged a national security component tied to the construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cIt was supposed to be secret, but it became unsecret because of people that are really unpatriotic saying things,\u201d he said. \u201cNow it\u2019s no secret, the military wanted it more than anybody.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The ballroom project\u2014estimated at roughly $400 million\u2014is being promoted by Trump as a long-overdue upgrade to the White House\u2019s event capacity. He argued that existing rooms are too small to host major foreign dignitaries and large-scale gatherings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cFor 150 years, they\u2019ve wanted to build a ballroom at the White House. Other presidents have wanted it,\u201d Trump said. \u201cWhen we have dignitaries coming like President Xi of China or anybody else, we have very small rooms. They\u2019re not big enough to handle the kind of capacity that you need.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
He added that the new structure is designed to visually match the existing White House and could even accommodate presidential inaugurations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is the same height as the White House. It\u2019s an incredible fitting,\u201d he said. \u201cI think it will be the finest ballroom of its kind anywhere in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Trump, the ballroom is being funded entirely through private donations and personal contributions, with no taxpayer dollars involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll of this money, all of the money paid is paid by myself and donors, it\u2019s all donors,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s not one dime of government money going into the ballroom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the project has drawn scrutiny from preservation groups and architects. A recent report raised concerns about design choices, including claims about \u201cfaux windows,\u201d which Trump forcefully denied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have no fake windows,\u201d he said. \u201cThe glass is extremely thick. It\u2019s high-grade, bulletproof glass. So, all of the windows are bulletproof.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The construction has also sparked a legal battle. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has filed a lawsuit arguing that the administration bypassed required approvals from Congress and federal planning agencies. A federal judge is currently considering whether to halt construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the controversy, Trump insisted the project is progressing smoothly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re ahead of schedule and under budget,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also framed the ballroom as secondary to the underground military infrastructure being built beneath it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cThe ballroom essentially becomes a shed for what\u2019s being built under the military, including from drones and including from any other thing,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The plans are expected to face a key test later this week, when the National Capital Planning Commission is set to review the proposal for final approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n