Republicans have rallied behind President Trump's stalled plan for a $400 million White House ballroom with an underground bunker following Saturday's shooting at the Washington Hilton during the Correspondents' Association dinner. The incident, which forced Trump and cabinet officials to evacuate, has become a rallying point for conservatives arguing the fortress-like complex needs accelerated construction.
A gunman armed with a shotgun fired multiple rounds at the hotel while attempting to breach security. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche suggested on NBC's "Meet the Press" that Trump administration officials may have been targeted, though none were wounded in the attack.
Trump seized on the incident immediately. "This event would never have happened with the Militarily Top Secret Ballroom currently under construction at the White House," he posted on Truth Social Sunday. He emphasized the project's underground placement within the White House gates and its integrated security features, insisting "Nothing should be allowed to interfere with its construction, which is on budget and substantially ahead of schedule."
Conservative voices amplified the message across social media. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, evacuated from the dinner alongside Trump and the cabinet, called the shooting "yet another reason" for the ballroom's completion. Chaya Raichik, who operates the influential Libs of TikTok account with 4.7 million followers, told her audience the incident underscored the need for Trump's facility. Far-right commentator Jack Posobiec expressed gratitude for the project's development.
In a notable crossover moment, Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania urged supporters to "drop the" partisan criticism and back the ballroom "for events exactly like these." Most Democrats, however, focused their response on condemning political violence generally rather than endorsing the construction.
The ballroom project has faced intense opposition from preservationists and some Democratic lawmakers, who characterize it as a vanity project financed by secretive donors currying favor with the president. Courts have repeatedly halted and blocked the proposal. The design has drawn more than 9,000 pages of public comments opposing the renovation, including concerns raised by a Republican congressman about its scope.
The complex is envisioned as a modernized version of the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, a facility originally built during World War II. Federal officials sheltered in the PEOC during the 9/11 attacks and Trump was moved there during the 2020 George Floyd protests. Aboveground construction is permitted to continue until a court hearing scheduled for June.
Author James Rodriguez: "This shooting handed the White House exactly the political opening it needed to restart a project judges have blocked multiple times, and Republicans aren't hesitating to exploit it."
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