Donald Trump ushered reporters onto a construction platform Tuesday morning to make his case for a White House ballroom project that has stalled in Congress over its spiraling security costs. The president, speaking over the roar of heavy equipment and the clang of steel work, defended the building as uniquely secure and strategically vital, even as lawmakers from his own party refuse to bankroll it.
The administration has requested $1 billion in taxpayer money for security enhancements across the White House campus, including infrastructure for the ballroom complex. But the Senate parliamentarian blocked the request from being attached to a three-year immigrant enforcement funding bill, and Republican senators balked at the price tag during an election year when inflation remains a voter concern.
The ballroom would replace the East Wing and descend six stories underground. Trump touted the building's security architecture: a "dead flat" steel roof designed to repel drone strikes and serve as a drone port protecting Washington airspace. No air conditioning or rooftop equipment would be visible, he explained, with all systems hidden in walls that would double as a shield for a military hospital, research facilities, offices for the first lady, and a 1,000-person ballroom.
"There will never be another building like this built," Trump told the gathered reporters as wind knocked over display renderings of the project. "This is one well-knit building. One thing doesn't work without the other."
The president reiterated that the $400 million construction cost would be covered entirely by private donors, including himself. He insisted the project was being executed "in strict coordination" with the military and Secret Service, calling it "a gift to the United States of America." Trump also suggested he would have minimal time to use the space, noting the ballroom is scheduled to open in September 2028, just months before his term ends. "This is really for other presidents," he said.
Public backing for the project remains weak. A Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll from April found 56% of American adults oppose tearing down the East Wing for the ballroom, with only 28% in support. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has sued in federal court to halt construction pending congressional approval of the building plans.
When asked whether he would contribute additional personal funds if Congress rejected the $1 billion security request, Trump did not directly answer.
Author James Rodriguez: "Trump's attempt to sell Congress on a billion-dollar security package for a building most Americans don't want feels like asking for a blank check while the meter's already running."
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