President Donald Trump has confirmed White House underground complex plans linked to a new ballroom project at the presidential residence, saying the military is building a large facility beneath the structure. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, March 29, Trump also unveiled architectural renderings of the reported $400 million development.
The project has already stirred controversy. Critics, including preservationists and Democrats, have objected since Trump ordered the demolition of the East Wing in October.
While discussing the design, Trump said the ballroom would effectively serve as a “shed” over the secret facility being built below it. He described the addition as a long-term project and defended it as an important upgrade to the White House grounds.
BELOW THE SURFACE: President Trump reveals the U.S. military is building a "massive complex" beneath the planned, privately-funded White House ballroom, and that construction is "ahead of schedule." pic.twitter.com/VDbepFqox8
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 30, 2026Trump said the new structure would include bulletproof glass as well as “drone-proof roofs and ceilings.” He argued that such protections are necessary in the current security climate.
The president said the development is ahead of schedule, under budget and funded by donors rather than taxpayers. He also said work on the bunker remains on track despite an ongoing legal dispute over the broader project.
According to the source text, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has challenged the administration’s process, arguing that required reviews were not completed. A federal judge has dismissed an initial lawsuit, but revised legal challenges may still follow.
The National Capital Planning Commission is expected to vote on the final plans in April. That decision could shape the next phase of a project that combines an above-ground event space with a fortified facility below it.
For now, the White House project remains both a construction story and a political flashpoint, with supporters framing it as a security upgrade and critics questioning its impact on a historic site.
