Trump Reveals His New White House Ballroom Will Hide Huge Underground Military Base

The president appeared before the media that accompanied him on the presidential plane, on the way to the Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. He dedicated three minutes to reporting on the good progress of the negotiations with Iran and a little more to explaining what the East Wing of the White House will look like when the works are finished.

Trump could not hide his origin as real estate developer: He displayed half a dozen large posters that an assistant handed him. Meanwhile, he described the details of the different perspectives of the building.

He specified that the White House did not have the suitable rooms to receive high leaders from other nations. In particular, he mentioned “President Xi of China.” “It will be the best ballroom in the world,” he declared.

He assured that he was receiving very good comments: “Even from people who have not yet seen the images,” he pointed out. He explained that the windows will mount thick bulletproof glass and that the roofs will be built to proof drones of all types.

He confirmed that the cost would be less than budgeted. Once again, he explained that the construction of the new East Wing of the White House is not covered by the Government’s budget. “All the money comes from me and other donors,” he said.

The budget for the work amounts to approximately 300 million dollars. The Trump Administration released a list with 42 private donors among which are Amazon, Apple, Google o Meta. It is estimated that, together, the execution costs will be covered. The president announced that he will contribute “whatever is necessary.”

Asked about the end of the works, he did not indicate a specific date. He reported that the work was “ahead of schedule”, despite the “stupid demand” that intends to suspend them.

He was referring to a complaint filed in December 2025 by the National Fund for Historic Preservationan organization in charge of caring for the country’s historical places. The Fund denounced that the decision to demolish the East Wing is not within the power of the president.

The lawsuit argued that the White House is a federal property of high historical value and on which the Congress I should have the last word. It added that the new volume had been prepared without the prior reviews required by law.

The military complex that Trump referred to before the media in the Air Force One It could be a pretext to argue the timeliness of the works. In fact, he was talking about the expansion of the Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC).

The Operations and Emergency Center

It is an underground bunker that already existed under the East Wing, prepared to shelter the president and his family in case of emergency. The Trump couple stayed for an hour in May 2020, when riots over the death of George Floyd At the hands of the Police they surpassed the security perimeter of the White House.

The Center was built during the Second World War as an air raid shelter. In the great reform ordered by the president Harry Truman It was equipped with its own energy, water and air filtration systems to operate autonomously in the event of a nuclear threat.

It was located several meters below ground level and was accessed through two elevators. The interior resembled the appearance of a submarine, with low ceilings and rooms with bunk beds for those staying.

It was used as continuity center of the Government in case of threat to the White House. It served as a refuge for the vice president Dick Cheney and part of his cabinet during the 9/11 attacks.

The old underground facilities they were dismantled at the beginning of the renovation works on the East Wing. The new complex will have means and infrastructure adapted to the new threats, although the details of its construction have not been made public.

The director of Administration and Management from the White House, Joshua Fisherdeclared in an appearance at the beginning of January that the “critical functionalities” of the Center will be reinforced. “There are many aspects of this project that are top secret,” he said.

Jonathan Wackrowformer US Secret Service agent explained to CNN that the PEOC works in tandem with the Situation Roominstalled in the West Wing. This room operates 24 hours a day and receives communications from various tactical and strategic networks.

The specialist explained that the new Presidential Center must respond to new threats. He referred to nuclear attacks, high-powered demolition bombs or chemical and biological weapons. “There is no way to anticipate what the cost of such an installation may be,” he said.