Trump: Military ‘building a massive complex’ under new White House ballroom
by Tara Suter - 03/30/26 7:48 AM ET
President Trump said late Sunday that the U.S. military is “building a massive complex” under his controversial new White House ballroom.
“Now, the military is building a big complex under the ballroom, which has come out recently because of a stupid lawsuit that was filed,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One.
“But the military is building a massive complex under the ballroom, and that’s under construction, and we’re doing very well,” the president said.
“We have all bullet-proof glass, we have drone-proof roofs, ceilings,” the president added while shuffling through renderings of the project.
“Unfortunately, we’re living in an age when that’s a good thing.”
Last week, Trump said there was a national security component in the construction of the ballroom that was “supposed to be secret.”
“Now it’s no secret, the military wanted it more than anybody,” Trump said Thursday in a Cabinet meeting, discussing the ballroom’s construction.
“It was supposed to be secret, but it became unsecret because of people that are really unpatriotic saying things,” he said.
Last year, the president directed that the East Wing of the White House be demolished so a $400 million ballroom could be built. The move was controversial, with notable pushback to the East Wing’s destruction.
Trump has often pointed toward the need for the ballroom, with the president saying it will be used for state dinners, galas and other events attended by world leaders. According to the White House, the project is receiving funding from private donations.
CNN reported earlier this year that the ballroom could feature a “top-secret project,” with the president “rebuilding a secret bunker under the East Wing.”
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5807115-donald-trump-military-complex-white-house-ballroom/
