Overview
- Trump, speaking Sunday aboard Air Force One after a Florida weekend, told reporters the military is building a “big complex” under the planned ballroom and said work is ahead of schedule.
- He said the ballroom functions as a protective shelter for what lies below, including drones or other equipment.
- The project’s estimated cost has doubled from $200 million to $400 million, with financing coming from private donors.
- In October he ordered an entire White House wing demolished to make way for the ballroom, which is designed for up to 1,000 guests and has drawn criticism over its scale and opulence.
- He attributed news of the underground build to a “ridiculous” lawsuit, and outlets reporting his remarks have not independently verified military activity beneath the site.