Senator Supports White House Ballroom Plan for Security Reasons

A senator from Pennsylvania said the proposed White House ballroom would provide a secure facility for large events and presidential operations. The senator made the comments during an interview segment on "The Katie Miller Podcast" published Tuesday. The discussion addressed security concerns following a shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on April 25.

The senator noted that more than one-third of party members viewed the April 25 incident as staged, according to a poll released that month. The senator described the event as real and referenced the crowded conditions at the dinner venue. The senator stated that the line of succession was present in a confined space during the dinner.

Officials have described the ballroom as a hardened structure extending six stories underground with steel and thick glass construction.

The senator said construction could begin immediately even if not completed during the current term. The senator compared the project to planting a tree whose shade would benefit future occupants. The full interview is scheduled for release at 6 p.m. ET. A separate report noted that a "Shark Tank" participant also expressed support for the ballroom plan.