President Donald Trump in new remarks alluded to a “massive complex” being constructed by the U.S. military underneath the ballroom being built in the spot of the White House’s former East Wing.
Trump made the comments on Sunday evening aboard Air Force One, telling members of the press that efforts are being undertaken beneath the controversial ballroom that started construction in October and has an approximate $400 million price tag.
“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 Sunday. “But the military is building a massive complex under the ballroom, and that’s under construction, and we’re doing very well.”
The president even showed journalists a large rendering of the ballroom plans, claiming that “for 150 years” other presidents have wanted a similar ballroom to host dignitaries from other nations. It will be the same height as the White House, Trump added, and will supposedly be capable of hosting large events like the inauguration and other galas involving world leaders or otherwise.
“We have all bullet-proof glass, we have drone-proof roofs, ceilings…and, unfortunately, we’re living in an age where that’s a good thing,” he added while interchanging different renderings, including views from the U.S. Treasury building and from an angle to the south of the White House. Renderings also showed staircases and columns.
The president claimed “it’s all donors” subsidizing the hefty ballroom cost, and that “not one dime of government money” is going towards the project.
He also described the underground construction as a “shed” shielding individuals “from drones, and including from any other thing.”
“The glass, or the windows—you see the big windows—the glass is extremely thick,” Trump said. “It’s high-grade bulletproof glass, so all of the windows are bulletproof.”
Lawsuit Made Underground Plans Public
The “stupid lawsuit” mentioned by Trump references how details of the ballroom’s construction have been publicized even though they were “supposed to be secret.”
“Now it’s no secret, the military wanted it more than anybody,” Trump said March 26 during a Cabinet meeting. “It was supposed to be secret, but it became un-secret because of people that are really unpatriotic saying things.”
That lawsuit in question was filed in December 2025 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which requested a federal judge halt construction of the 90,000-square-foot ballroom until environmental reviews were finalized and congressional approval had taken place.
That judge reportedly said he would rule on the matter at hand before March concludes, potentially leading to an injunction that could stop ongoing construction.
Last week wasn’t the first time Trump has publicly admonished the lawsuit.
In a post in January on Truth Social, Trump said: “It is being done with the design, consent, and approval of the highest levels of the United States Military and Secret Service. The mere bringing of this ridiculous lawsuit has already, unfortunately, exposed this heretofore top secret fact.”
Facing a mix of support and criticism, the administration has touted the ballroom’s efficacy for future generations. That has included refuting a recent New York Times report authored by three individuals, including a trained architect, another who “studied fine arts,” and one who has “long written about urban planning.”
“President Trump and his lead architect have built world-class buildings around the world, and they are ensuring the People’s House finally has a beautiful ballroom that’s been needed for decades—at no expense to the taxpayer,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X on Sunday.
