Trump Announces Massive Underground Military Complex Beneath New White House Ballroom

President Donald Trump revealed on Sunday, March 29, 2026, that the U.S. military is constructing a large underground complex beneath the new ballroom being built at the White House. Trump made the announcement aboard Air Force One while returning from a weekend in Florida, showing reporters plans for the ballroom as he spoke. „Currently, the army is building a large complex under the ballroom. Everything is going very well, we are even ahead of schedule.” — Donald Trump via RTBF The president described the ballroom itself as functioning primarily as a cover structure for the military installation below. He said the facility is designed to withstand modern threats, including drone attacks, and will feature bulletproof glass throughout. Trump acknowledged the details had become public as a result of what he called a lawsuit filed against the construction project.

Ballroom built to host a thousand dignitaries The ballroom component of the project is designed to accommodate up to 1,000 people for receptions and dinners honoring foreign dignitaries. The construction sits on the site of the former East Wing of the White House, which Trump ordered demolished by bulldozer in October 2025. Trump has spoken about the project repeatedly and in considerable detail at public events, drawing sustained criticism from opponents. „We are using onyx and stones that are incredible.” — Donald Trump via Ouest France The president described those remarks as having been made during a press conference partly devoted to the war in the Middle East. The ballroom is intended to serve diplomatic functions, hosting state-level events that the existing White House facilities could not accommodate at that scale.

Budget doubled to $400 million, all privately funded The project is funded entirely through private donations, with no public money involved, according to Trump. 400 (million dollars) — total projected budget for White House construction project The projected budget has grown significantly since the project was first announced. White House project budget: Projected budget (before: $200 million (initial estimate), after: $400 million (current estimate)) Trump reiterated that no government funds are being spent on the construction. The project has been described by multiple outlets as one of the most ambitious undertaken at the White House in more than a century. An ongoing lawsuit seeking to halt the construction remains active, though Trump said it has not slowed progress.

Security features reflect a new era of presidential protection Trump framed the military complex and its security features as a necessary response to contemporary threats. „Unfortunately, we live in a time when that is a good thing.” — Donald Trump via Telegraaf The structure is designed to be resistant to both drone attacks and conventional ballistic threats, with reinforced ceilings and roofs in addition to bulletproof windows. The White House has undergone various security upgrades over the decades, but large-scale structural demolition and reconstruction of a presidential wing is historically rare. The current project, which involved razing the East Wing in October 2025, represents a significant departure from the preservation approach that has governed White House modifications for generations. The use of entirely private financing for a project of this scale at a federal landmark is also without clear modern precedent. The Air Force One announcement came as Trump returned from Florida, continuing a pattern of the president personally briefing reporters on the project's progress. The disclosure of the military component, which Trump attributed to the ongoing lawsuit, adds a new dimension to what had previously been described publicly as a diplomatic and ceremonial construction effort.