Trump's White House Ballroom Project Reveals Details of Underground Security Bunker
Court documents in Trump's $400 million ballroom case disclose security enhancements to historic White House bunker system.
Court documents related to President Donald Trump's $400 million White House ballroom project have revealed new details about underground security facilities at the presidential residence. The information emerged during Trump's legal battle with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which is challenging the 90,000-square-foot ballroom construction.
A federal appeals court last week permitted Trump to continue construction at the site of the former East Wing, which was demolished last fall. The ruling put on hold a lower-court judge's order blocking aboveground construction but exempted work to ensure White House safety and security.
According to court filings, the project includes installing materials for a "heavily fortified" facility with bomb shelters, military installations and medical facilities underneath the ballroom. Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn wrote that the above-ground structure is necessary to protect and strengthen key underground security facilities.
The bunker system traces its origins to 1942, when an underground bomb shelter was installed during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency after the United States entered World War II. The Presidential Emergency Operations Center has been used during major crises, including the September 11, 2001 attacks when Vice President Dick Cheney was rushed there, and in 2020 when Trump was taken to the bunker during protests following George Floyd's death.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation argues Trump overstepped his authority by proceeding without proper federal agency and congressional approval. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon initially ruled in favor of the preservation group in March. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has scheduled a hearing for June 5 to review the case.
Trump has stated that taxpayer funds will cover security aspects of the project, while ballroom costs will be funded through donations from wealthy individuals and corporations. He described the addition as long-overdue for the White House complex.