Trump Reveals Plan For ‘Massive’ Military Complex Beneath White House Ballroom

By Sabiu Abdullahi

US President Donald Trump has disclosed that a large military facility is being constructed beneath a proposed ballroom at the White House.

The president approved plans last October to demolish part of the existing East Wing to create space for the new ballroom, which is intended to host major events such as state dinners and official receptions.

According to Mr Trump, the project is being funded privately with contributions from him and other donors. The estimated cost has risen from $200 million to $400 million.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, he said, “The military is building a massive complex under the ballroom, and that’s under construction, and we’re doing very well, so we’re ahead of schedule.”

He added, “It’s part of it, the ballroom essentially becomes a shed for what’s being built under the military [complex] including [protection] from drones and including from any other thing. The glass on the windows is extremely thick – it’s high-grade bulletproof glass.”

Mr Trump did not provide detailed information about the underground structure. He stated that details became public “because of a stupid lawsuit that was filed”.

While presenting architectural illustrations of the project, the president highlighted the importance of the ballroom. He said, “We just got these in from the architects. A lot of people are talking about how beautiful the ballroom is.”

He noted that previous administrations had considered a similar project. “For 150 years, they’ve wanted to build a ballroom at the White House, and other presidents have wanted it [for] when we have dignitaries coming, like President Xi of China, or anybody else, and we have very small rooms that are not big enough to handle the kind of capacity that you need,” he said.

Mr Trump also described the proposed structure as unique in scale and design. “This [the ballroom] is the same height as the White House – it’s an incredible fitting. I think it’ll be the finest ballroom of its kind anywhere in the world,” he said.

He added, “A lot of people are giving it really good reviews, some are giving it reviews without even seeing the building, because these pictures just came out today.”

The president explained that he chose to unveil the designs while travelling due to his schedule. “I don’t have time to do this. I’m fighting wars and other things. But this is important because this is going to be with us for a long time,” he said.

The plan has drawn criticism from some quarters. Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton had earlier accused Mr Trump of altering the historic building, saying he was “destroying” the White House, which was “not his house”.

Mr Trump has long argued that the current East Room is too small for large gatherings. It accommodates about 200 guests, which often requires additional arrangements on the White House grounds. He said the new ballroom would span about 90,000 square feet and hold up to 1,000 people.

However, the design has generated debate among planners and architects. Critics say the new structure could overshadow the main White House residence and obstruct key views from Capitol Hill along Pennsylvania Avenue.

In October, Mr Trump dismissed all six members of the Commission of Fine Arts, which had been reviewing the proposal. A White House official indicated that the president preferred members who were “more aligned” with his “America First policies”.

No official completion date has been announced, although the White House has said the project is expected to be finished before the end of Mr Trump’s term.

The National Capital Planning Commission is expected to take a final decision on the proposal later this week.