WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said the military is constructing a large underground complex beneath a new ballroom being built at the White House, describing the project as progressing ahead of schedule.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the facility would be built underneath the ballroom structure, in what appears to be an unprecedented arrangement at the presidential residence.
“The military is building a massive complex under the ballroom, and that’s under construction, and we’re doing very well — we’re ahead of schedule,” he said.
He added that the ballroom would effectively serve as a cover structure for what is being developed below ground, but did not provide further details about the purpose or scale of the complex.
Unusual construction plan raises questions
Trump suggested that details of the project had recently emerged due to legal proceedings, referring to “a stupid lawsuit” without elaborating.
The development marks a significant departure from traditional processes governing changes to the White House, which typically involve extensive review and preservation oversight.
Last October, part of the White House complex was demolished to make way for the new ballroom — a project Trump has frequently highlighted as part of his broader vision to reshape the historic site.
Project scope and costs expand
The ballroom project, initially presented as a privately funded initiative, has grown substantially in scale and cost, with the estimated budget doubling from $200 million to $400 million.
It is described as one of the largest White House construction efforts in over a century and features high-end materials, including onyx and imported stone.
Trump, a former real estate developer, has repeatedly emphasized design elements and construction details in public remarks.
The ballroom is part of a wider push by Trump to leave a lasting architectural imprint on Washington. His administration has renamed a major cultural venue as the “Trump-Kennedy Center” and proposed building a grand arch in the US capital inspired by Paris’s Arc de Triomphe.
These moves have drawn attention for their scale as well as their departure from established planning norms in the capital.
