White House Ballroom Construction Includes Six-Story Underground Facility and Rooftop Drone Defenses

President Trump described the new White House ballroom as a hardened structure that extends six stories underground and includes military hospital facilities, research areas, and meeting rooms. The president said the facility is already down about six stories deep and that the underground portion is far more complex than the upper levels.

He stated the ballroom functions as a shield protecting these sensitive areas.

Trump outlined that the underground spaces will contain command and control, training, computers, and communications support areas for military operations and defense of the White House. The structure replaces the former President's Emergency Operations Center that was located beneath the now-demolished East Wing.

The last major bunker expansion under the White House occurred under former President Barack Obama with an underground facility beneath the North Lawn.

Trump said the roof will feature massive drone capacity and will serve as a drone port to protect Washington. He described plans for the greatest drone empire that will protect the capital. The president stated the roof is developed for the military with a 360-degree view of Washington due to its height.

He added that the facility will have drone proofing, missile proofing, and great sniper capacity. U.S. Secret Service, with $220 million allocated for the ballroom facility. The total cost of the ballroom project has previously been estimated at $400 million.

The Senate parliamentarian ruled this week that taxpayer funds in the budget reconciliation package cannot be used for the $1 billion security provision. Construction continues on the lower levels of the structure at the site of the former East Wing.

Trump said the ballroom is being built in conjunction with the United States military and will provide great military capacity.