President Donald Trump confirmed Sunday evening that the U.S. military is constructing a large underground complex beneath the planned White House ballroom, a development the administration had sought to keep classified. The President made the disclosure aboard Air Force One while showing reporters renderings of the project, stating that the project's secrecy was compromised due to a "stupid lawsuit" filed against the administration.
"The military is building a big complex under the ballroom, which has come out recently because of a stupid lawsuit that was filed," President Trump told reporters. He elaborated that "the ballroom essentially becomes a shed for what’s being built under," indicating the significant scale of the subterranean construction. The President also asserted that the ballroom component of the project is progressing "ahead of schedule and under budget" and is being financed entirely by himself and private donors, not taxpayer funds.
The revelation follows a lawsuit filed in December 2025 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The lawsuit contends that the Trump administration violated at least four laws by bypassing required review processes for the construction. These alleged violations include failing to undergo independent reviews, environmental assessments, secure congressional authorization, and allow for public input on the project. Initially, in February, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon rejected the group’s request to halt construction, stating that the plaintiff "didn’t bring the necessary cause of action to test the statutory authority the President claims." However, on March 31, Judge Leon reversed course and granted the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s request for a preliminary injunction, temporarily ordering a halt to construction.
President Trump expressed frustration over the project's exposure, attributing it to "people that are really unpatriotic saying things." He reiterated, "It was supposed to be secret, but it became unsecret because of people that are really unpatriotic saying things," according to NewsNation. During a cabinet meeting last week, President Trump had indicated the military’s strong desire for the construction, stating they "wanted" the ballroom construction "more than anybody." He also highlighted the enhanced security features integrated into the project, including "all bulletproof glass, we have drone-proof roofs, ceilings." President Trump added a sobering reflection on the necessity of such measures, noting, "Unfortunately, we’re living in an age when that’s a good thing."
The underground construction is believed to be an expansion or upgrade of existing presidential emergency facilities. In October 2025, Mary Rooke of the Daily Caller reported that the Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC), commonly known as the president’s bunker, is located underneath the East Wing, precisely where the new ballroom is being built. Rooke also highlighted the pervasive secrecy surrounding the project, including directives from the U.S. Treasury Department instructing employees not to share or photograph demolition activities, citing concerns about potentially revealing "sensitive items, including security features or confidential structural details."
The original bunker beneath the East Wing was established during President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration. The East Wing itself was first constructed in 1902 under President Theodore Roosevelt and subsequently expanded under FDR in 1942. Over the decades, the PEOC has undergone various updates to bolster its defenses against a range of threats, including nuclear attack, reflecting an ongoing need for secure presidential facilities in an evolving global threat landscape. The current project, as confirmed by President Trump, represents a significant undertaking, raising questions about executive authority, national security imperatives, and the processes governing construction on historic federal properties. The temporary halt ordered by Judge Leon underscores the legal complexities and public interest in such developments, even those deemed critical for national security.
