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Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News, News
Madison Burgess
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, US News, News
In the latest update on the controversial White House ballroom, Donald Trump revealed he is building a 'massive' complex underneath it.
The US President, 79, sparked backlash last year when he first revealed his grand plans for his $200 million addition to the presidential residence, before tearing down the East Wing to make way for it.
The White House has called the project a 'much-needed and exquisite addition,' despite public outcry about the historic section of the building being demolished back in October.
Not to mention the costs that have accumulated along the way, as according to The Independent, the cost has jumped up to double the initial estimate - $400 million.
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The Republican leader has made it clear that the extravagant ballroom will solely be paid for by himself and private donations; however, critics still deem it unnecessary at a time when millions of Americans are relying on food stamps to get by.
As reported by Reuters, the ballroom has faced both legal and political challenges, including a lawsuit from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which alleges that the Trump administration bypassed required reviews and public input.
A federal judge is due to decide by the end of March whether to issue an injunction halting the project while the lawsuit proceeds.
And now, in the latest update, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday (29 March) that the ballroom is 'ahead of schedule and under budget'.
As per Newsweek, he also casually dropped in that the military is building a whole mysterious complex underneath it.
The US President said, “The military is building a massive complex under the ballroom, and that’s under construction, and we're doing very well, so we're ahead of schedule."
The publication reports that the complex will be 'part of' the ballroom, and the ballroom 'essentially becomes a shed for what's being built under'.
He admitted that the information 'has come out recently because of a stupid lawsuit that was filed'.
According to The Hill, Trump added: “We have all bullet-proof glass, we have drone-proof roofs, ceilings. Unfortunately, we’re living in an age when that’s a good thing."
He previously said that the national security component was 'supposed to be secret'.
During a cabinet meeting at the White House on Thursday (26 March), he explained: "Now it’s no secret, the military wanted it more than anybody.
“It was supposed to be secret, but it became unsecret because of people that are really unpatriotic saying things. But doesn’t matter, it’s going to be great."
As of right now, few other details have been revealed about the mysterious complex.
As reported by USA Today, previously, a bunker was installed beneath the East Wing during President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s administration to protect him.