President Donald Trump praised his new ballroom at the White House, while a rumored underground bunker upgrade could be driving the major renovation.
Trump Seeks Bunker Modernization
Marek Wałkuski, Polish Radio correspondent at the White House, reported that, according to some information, the U.S. president is more interested in modernising an underground bunker where he could hide in case of an atomic attack or civil war. He added that the Trump administration has confirmed that the bunker under the White House will also be upgraded.
What We Know About the Under‑Ground Shelter
According to Wałkuski, the bunker under the East Wing, built at the start of World War II, has long been called the Presidential Crisis Operations Center. It was reportedly used by Vice‑President Dick Cheney after the September 11 attacks and by President Trump during the turbulent Black Lives Matter protests.
Publicist Ronald Kessler describes, in his book “Hidden Rooms of the White House,” a newer five‑story underground shelter built beneath the North Lawn in the 21st century, equipped with oxygen production and food supplies for several months. It could be hermetically sealed in the event of a nuclear or chemical attack. These claims have not been officially confirmed.
Ballroom Sparks White House Renovation
The new ballroom, estimated to cost about $300 million, is being built on the site of the demolished East Wing and involves removal of part of the Kennedy Garden and two historic magnolias. Trump announced the construction on the Truth Social platform, citing funding from “generous patriots, great American firms” and himself.
He noted that every president for more than 150 years has dreamed of a ballroom at the White House to receive guests at state functions. The White House originally said the venue would seat 650 people, but Trump later said it could hold 999 guests. When asked for a name, the president smiled and declined, but officials already refer to it as the “President Donald J. Trump Ballroom.”