Key part of Trump’s argument for his ballroom just got blown out of the water

Since Donald Trump announced the construction of his new ballroom in the White House, the project has been the center of massive debate.

Preparations for the construction of the ballroom began when the East Wing of the White House was demolished, sparking widespread criticism, as the White House is federal property, not Trump’s personal property. Under the law, major construction on federal land requires approval by Congress, which the administration has not obtained.

Part of President Donald Trump’s defense for the controversial $600 million ballroom expansion is that it would also include a critical shelter.

Officials insist the project features a fortified underground “military complex” that is needed to protect leadership during extreme emergencies.

White House spokesman Davis Ingle stated the addition is “inextricably tied to the security of the President” and cited recent drone threats to justify the upgrade.

But now former insiders from the White House have pulled the rug out from under the argument about the shelter, as the White House already has a shelter like that.

And it even existed when Trump was first in the White House.

Already exists

Former insiders tell The Washington Post that the defense narrative ignores an existing facility hidden deep below the grounds.

According to the insiders, a massive facility was built to house dozens of people for weeks 60 feet underground before Trump even became president, as construction was finished during the Obama administration.

Ex-officials say this existing complex provides full protection, undercutting claims that a new subterranean fortress is mandatory.

Chief Justice John Roberts recently allowed work to keep going while the Supreme Court reviews the dispute. That decision paused a halt issued by District Judge Richard Leon, who argued that officials “themselves forged ahead and created this ‘coordinated and managed safety hazard’” on the property.

Structural damage fears

Former staffers warn that knocking down the East Wing may have damaged the older Presidential Emergency Operations Center sitting just 20 feet below. They also caution that leaking details about a new “drone port” creates fresh security vulnerabilities.

Preservationists who filed suit against the construction say they were never informed about the hidden Obama-era facility. The National Trust for Historic Preservation rejected claims of misconduct, even after Trump accused the organization of acting “treasonist[ly]” by going to court.

Last week, the US Supreme Court allowed the construction of the ballroom to continue for now, after it was ordered to stop by a federal disctrict court.

This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation