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Trump Defends $400M White House Ballroom as Military Project
The former president claims the controversial new ballroom is actually a secret underground military facility.
Mar. 31, 2026 at 11:07am
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An illustration of the alleged secret military project Trump claims is being built under the White House ballroom.Palm Beach TodayFormer President Donald Trump has defended his controversial $400 million White House ballroom project, claiming it is actually a secret military facility being built underground by the Pentagon. Trump showed reporters a mock-up of the planned ballroom and said it includes features like bulletproof glass, drone-proof roofs and ceilings, suggesting the military is driving the construction.
Why it matters
The revelation about the military's involvement in the ballroom project raises questions about the transparency and oversight of White House renovations, especially given Trump's history of sidestepping scrutiny and replacing critics with loyalists on oversight boards.
The details
According to Trump, the massive new East Wing ballroom he ordered demolished is actually serving as a 'shed' for an underground military facility being built by the Pentagon. Trump claims the facility will include features like bulletproof glass and drone-proof roofs and ceilings. The former president did not provide any additional details about the military's role or the purpose of the secret underground project.
- In January 2026, CNN reported that the military planned to build a 'secure underground facility' under the new White House ballroom.
- On March 31, 2026, Trump discussed the military project while speaking to reporters on his way back to Washington, D.C. from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
The players
Donald Trump
The former president who ordered the construction of the controversial $400 million White House ballroom project and is now claiming it is actually a secret military facility.
The Pentagon
The U.S. Department of Defense, which Trump claims is driving the construction of the secret underground facility beneath the White House ballroom.
What they’re saying
“The ballroom has actually become the shed for what's being built by the military, including from drones and from any other thing.”
— Donald Trump, Former President
“We have all bulletproof glass. We have drone-proof roofs, ceilings, everything's drone-proof and bulletproof.”
— Donald Trump, Former President
What’s next
The Pentagon has not yet commented on Trump's claims about the military's involvement in the White House ballroom project. Preservationists are currently suing to block the project, but it remains to be seen whether they will be successful in halting construction given Trump's efforts to purge critics from oversight groups.
The takeaway
This story highlights the ongoing controversy and lack of transparency surrounding the Trump administration's extensive renovations to the White House, which have faced criticism for their excessive cost and opulence. The former president's claim that the ballroom is actually a secret military facility raises further questions about the true purpose and oversight of this project.
