\u2014 Tyler Rogoway (@Aviation_Intel) March 30, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The fact that the ballroom is as much of a military and security services installation as it is its stated function comes as the administration seeks a billion dollars in new funding<\/a> from Congress<\/a> for the U.S. Secret Service. Of that money, $220 million would go toward the facility<\/a>, while the rest would go to other efforts to enhance security around the complex. The total cost of the ballroom project has previously been estimated to be $400 million<\/a>. Trump had said in the past that private donors would pay<\/a> for the construction \u2014 another controversial aspect of the project.<\/p>\n The last time a major bunker complex was installed below the White House grounds was roughly a decade and a half ago, under President Barack Obama. During that period, a large but secretive project saw the installation of an expansive underground facility, supposedly five stories deep, beneath the North Lawn. This facility was far larger and more elaborate than the President\u2019s Emergency Operations Center \u2014 the PEOC \u2014 that was built below the now destroyed East Wing and dates back, at least in part, to around World War II. This facility was made famous by the tragic events of 9\/11.<\/p>\n Based on lessons learned from the rickety response to that crisis, the PEOC was also progressively upgraded throughout the Bush Administration and beyond. You can read all about the existing bunker facilities at the White House in our prior report linked here.<\/a> <\/p>\n Now that the East Wing is gone, the historic PEOC is likely gone as well, and a much grander labyrinth of underground spaces is being installed in its place. It appears that these deep underground areas will take up a substantial part of the entire floor plate of the massive ballroom building, so we are talking about a huge amount of square footage here, not just a new emergency bunker. Think a multi-story underground office building more so than a bomb shelter.<\/p>\n Trump, standing in front of the foundation of the ballroom while the racket of work crews filled the air, went into detail to reporters yesterday as to what is being built beneath the ballroom. Some of the features he mentioned were already known about, but not elaborated on, and some were new. They included:<\/p>\n A military hospital<\/p>\n Research facilities \u2014 it is unclear what these are, whether these are Secret Service and\/or military facilities, or something else entirely<\/p>\n Meeting rooms and rooms that go \u201chand-in-hand\u201d for the military<\/p>\n Trump goes on to proclaim the ballroom is actually a \u201cshield\u201d to protect all these sensitive areas. Overall, Trump says the facility is \u201calready down about six stories deep.\u201d He later restated that the complex does indeed go six stories down. Trump also said during his presser, \u201cthe underneath is far more complex than the upper\u201d when discussing the overall structure.<\/p>\n Trump continued to detail some of the defensive features of the ballroom facility:<\/p>\n Drone proofing, stating \u201cif a drone hits it, it bounces off, it won\u2019t have any impact\u201d<\/p>\n Missile proofing<\/p>\n \u201cGreat sniper capacity\u201d (USSS counter-sniper teams<\/a> are an omnipresent fixture atop the White House)<\/p>\n The roof is developed \u201cfor the military\u201d with a 360-degree view of Washington, D.C., due to its height.<\/p>\n \t\t \n\t\t\t\tTrump calls construction of new White House ballroom ‘a gift’\t\t\t<\/p>\n NOW \u2013 Trump says a hospital, research facilities and meeting rooms, for the military, are being built below the White House ballroom. pic.twitter.com\/JhcWBZScv4<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) May 19, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Now we get into the really interesting and a bit peculiar part. Trump went on to say that the roof will have a \u201cmassive drone capacity.\u201d He later adds that \u201cit\u2019s also meant as a drone port, so it protects all of Washington.\u201d The president also stated that \u201cwe use it as a drone port. We can have unlimited drones up there, and drones are what\u2019s happening right now.\u201d<\/p>\n In another quote, Trump, talking about the roof again, said \u201con top of the roof, we\u2019re going to have the greatest drone empire you\u2019ve ever seen that\u2019s going to protect Washington.\u201d He also said systems from below the new ballroom facility will be put on the roof \u201cfor drone and missile capacity.\u201d<\/p>\n So what is he actually talking about here? <\/p>\n First off, it is abundantly clear that this will be the most hardened overall structure on the White House grounds by a huge margin. It will feature passive defenses against many forms of attack. From the windows to the walls, the facility will be hardened to a level not seen on legacy structures on the property. <\/p>\n It will also have active defenses. Clearly, the drone issue is a massive one and has been for many years. This structure will serve as a secure place to do daily business if needed. Based on Trump\u2019s comments, it will also act as a critical active defense node with its roof hosting air defenses, and apparently ones that are capable of at least a limited degree of area defense, not just highly-localized point defense. This is where drones could come into play. Drone interceptors (drones that intercept other drones)<\/a> are well suited for the unique challenges of defending<\/a> the White House and the Mall area as a whole<\/a>, where collateral damage is a huge concern. Some of these systems use warheads, while others do not, physically smashing into their targets or blasting them with electrical pulses and other non-traditional effects instead. Drone interceptor capabilities are expanding rapidly now, equipping forward bases<\/a> and warships<\/a>. They proved critical in defending U.S. interests against Iranian attacks<\/a> during the recent war. In Ukraine, they have proven indispensable in countering waves<\/a> of Russian Shaheds.<\/p>\n \t\t \n\t\t\t\tUkraine\u2019s drone defense tech reshapes combat as warfare evolves\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t \n\t\t\t\tRaytheon Missiles & Defense proves counter-UAS effectiveness against enemy drones\t\t\t<\/p>\n So, it sounds like the roof of the ballroom is going to be a major air defense installation, at least for counter-drone applications, for the area, and interceptor drones will likely provide at least part of this capability, along with electronic warfare and possibly directed energy weapons<\/a>. Surface-to-air missiles could find a home there, as well. There is a known rooftop FIM-92 Stinger-firing Avenger missile turret near the White House for this purpose today, which was installed not long after 9\/11, but this capability could be expanded, at least in a crisis or during special occasions, to the rooftop of the new structure. It could even host longer-range systems. Currently, the capital area features the only permanent surface-to-air missile network in the United States, featuring the NASAMS for medium-range defense<\/a>, with launchers arrayed around the region.<\/p>\n Still, firing off a rocket packed with a high-explosive blast-fragmentation warhead low over the capital is a far more dangerous action than emerging alternatives, as mentioned above, at least for countering drones. Regardless, Trump alluded to systems being able to be stored in the bottom of the ballroom facility that can be moved up to the roof for protection. It\u2019s unclear if some sort of lift system would allow this to occur more seamlessly on demand, if indeed his description was accurate, but being able to configure air defenses on the rooftop based on the threat at any given time would be highly advantageous. <\/p>\n Whether the president thinks drones will be used in the future to transport cargo and individuals to and from the White House grounds, using the roof of the new facility, isn\u2019t clear, but it sounds like that\u2019s at least part of the vision. Not long after the East Wing was torn down, we inquired with the White House if the ballroom\u2019s roof would work as a helipad for Marine One. This inquiry was spurred by the chronic landing area issues with the new VH-92A<\/a> Marine One helicopters. We never got a response, but the news hit this week<\/a> that the White House is now looking to build a helicopter landing pad due to this issue. It isn\u2019t perfectly clear if the ballroom could serve in this role or at least be used as an alternative landing site.<\/p>\n Finally, it\u2019s clear that the underground portion of the ballroom will include a multitude of command and control, training, computers, and communications support areas, and much more for military operations and defense of the White House itself. Much of this also fits into the continuity of government realm<\/a>, a key mission for the USSS and the White House Military Office. Considering the size of the new facility, it will likely also have a lot of room for future expansion.<\/p>\n That being said, it is worth noting that while a modern underground facility like this may be more secure, it cannot even come close to protecting against a direct nuclear attack. The requirements for such an installation<\/a> far exceed anything we are seeing with the ballroom (or anywhere else really).<\/p>\n Trump added in his presser yesterday that with the ballroom will come \u201cgreat military capacity, we are building it in conjunction with the United States military.\u201d Exactly how the marriage of the military\u2019s and Secret Service\u2019s wants came together with building a huge ballroom for galas is unclear. The timeline of events that gave birth to the ballroom-fortress concept seems fascinating in its own right.<\/p>\n With that in mind, and considering this was all in the blueprints for the highly complex structure being built now, the military and the USSS were clearly deeply involved in its design from early on, which makes it puzzling as to why the White House is just asking for funding for those security features now.<\/p>\n Regardless, while this new addition to the White House grounds may be referred to as a ballroom, it is one built atop a sprawling military installation and cocooned within a hardened armor shell that has many other roles than its stated purpose.<\/p>\n Contact the author: Tyler@twz.com <\/p>\n Tyler\u2019s passion is the study of military technology, strategy, and foreign policy and he has fostered a dominant voice on those topics in the defense media space. He was the creator of the hugely popular defense site Foxtrot Alpha before developing The War Zone.<\/p>\n \t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/HAQv4kvXMAAGHF-.jpg\")
A rendering of the ballroom. (White House) <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/HA0b3cqaAAEb1Mh.jpg\")
Rendering of the ballroom. (White House) <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1527104014321-jjajd913-copy.jpg\")
Inside the PEOC on 9\/11. (US Government photo) <\/p>\n![\"WASHINGTON,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2275569845_798f24.jpg\")
WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 MAY 13: Construction on the proposed White House ballroom, at the site of the former East Wing, on Wednesday, May 13, 2026 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump has spent the first half of his return to power leaving his mark on our nation\u2019s capital. He ordered the repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, demolished the White House East Wing to make way for his $250 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom, and renamed the Kennedy Center to feature his name first, to name a few. (Photo by Al Drago for The Washington Post via Getty Images) The Washington Post<\/p>\n![\"WASHINGTON,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2277113946.jpg\")
WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 MAY 19: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media alongside posters of his proposed White House ballroom amid construction at the White House on May 19, 2026, in Washington, DC. The Senate parliamentarian\u00a0ruled this week that taxpayer funds in the budget reconciliation package cannot be used for\u00a0a $1 billion provision intended to fund security for Trump\u2019s\u00a0White House ballroom. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla\/Getty Images) Chip Somodevilla<\/p>\n![\"WASHINGTON,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Underground-bunker-ballroom-white-house.jpg\")
WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 MAY 19: Construction continues on the lower levels of the White House ballroom on May 19, 2026 in Washington, DC. The U.S. Senate parliamentarian ruled this week that taxpayer funds in the budget reconciliation package cannot be used for a $1 billion provision intended to fund security for U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s White House ballroom. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla\/Getty Images) Chip Somodevilla<\/p>\n![\"Trump](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779354801_772_hqdefault.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\n![\"Ukraine\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779354802_977_hqdefault.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\n![\"Raytheon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779354802_170_hqdefault.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\n![\"WASHINGTON,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2277125366.jpg\")
WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 MAY 19: Construction continues on the lower levels of the White House ballroom on May 19, 2026 in Washington, DC. The U.S. Senate parliamentarian ruled this week that taxpayer funds in the budget reconciliation package cannot be used for a $1 billion provision intended to fund security for U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s White House ballroom. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla\/Getty Images) Chip Somodevilla<\/p>\n![\"Marine](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4944223.jpg\")
Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) runs test flights of the new VH-92A over the south lawn of the White House on Sept. 22, 2018, Washington D.C. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Hunter Helis) Sgt. Hunter Helis<\/p>\n