Washington: President Donald Trump on Thursday strongly defended the construction of a new ballroom complex at the White House.
Speaking during a White House event, Trump rejected suggestions that taxpayer money was being used to finance the ballroom itself.
“I don’t need money for the ballroom,” Trump said. “I’m making a gift of the ballroom.”
The President said the ballroom project, originally estimated at $200 million, had expanded in scale because of security and operational needs.
“The ballroom is being built. It was going to cost $200 million. I’ve doubled the size of it because we need it,” he said.
Trump said the construction was being carried out “in conjunction with the military and Secret Service” and described the facility as essential to improving White House security infrastructure.
He argued that confusion had arisen because Congress was considering funding for broader security measures connected to the White House complex rather than the ballroom itself.
“The ballroom is paid for. It’s a gift,” Trump said. “The money that they’re spending is for security having to do maybe around the ballroom and other parts of the house.”
Trump also disclosed several security features planned for the project, including what he described as a “drone port” and reinforced defensive infrastructure.
“We have the glass that’s four inches thick, bulletproof glass. We have bulletproof walls,” he said.
Asked what would happen if Congress refused to approve additional security funding linked to the White House complex, Trump responded bluntly: “Then the White House won’t be a very secure place.”
The President repeatedly portrayed the ballroom project as both a patriotic contribution and a legacy project.
“We’re building what will be the finest ballroom anywhere in the world,” he said, adding that the project was being funded by “great patriots that spent a lot of money”.
Trump discussed broader renovation projects across Washington, including repairs to fountains and the reflecting pool between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. He claimed previous administrations had spent “hundreds of millions of dollars” trying unsuccessfully to repair the reflecting pool, while his administration would complete the work “for less than $20 million”.
Trump also said Washington had become “a safe city” again after his administration removed more than 5,000 “career criminals” from the capital. He claimed restaurants and businesses were reopening after years of decline.
The ballroom proposal has drawn political scrutiny because of its scale, security implications and proximity to the historic White House residence. Major structural changes to the White House complex typically involve coordination between the Secret Service, the National Park Service and congressional oversight bodies.
Trump has increasingly framed infrastructure and renovation projects in Washington as symbols of national prestige, often comparing them with grand architectural landmarks in Europe. He also promoted plans for a new “triumphal arch” near Arlington Memorial Bridge, modelled in part on Paris’s Arc de Triomphe.
(IANS)
