Trump Says U.S. Military Will Build Underground Complex Beneath New White House Ballroom Construction

President describes underground project as ballroom construction proceeds on the White House grounds

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump said Sunday that the U.S. military is planning to construct a large complex beneath a new ballroom now being built at the White House. The president’s remarks added a new dimension to a high-profile construction project that has already prompted legal and procedural disputes over oversight of changes to the historic campus.

The ballroom project is tied to major alterations on the White House’s east side. Preparatory work has included the demolition of the East Wing area historically associated with offices and functions connected to the first lady and official visitors. The administration has argued that demolition and site work can proceed on an accelerated timetable even as formal reviews and approvals for construction move forward.

Oversight questions and litigation have become central to the project

The ballroom plan has drawn scrutiny because significant federal construction in Washington typically faces review by planning and design bodies responsible for the capital region’s federal landscape. The administration has maintained that key elements of the process either do not apply to demolition or can be satisfied later in the construction sequence.

In parallel, preservation-focused litigation has sought to halt or slow the work. The administration has responded in court filings by asserting that the project should continue and by challenging whether plaintiffs have legal standing to bring the case. Within that context, the president indicated Sunday that information about the underground component had surfaced amid legal proceedings.

What is known about the underground “complex” claim

The White House already includes secure, below-ground infrastructure, including long-established emergency facilities associated with continuity of government. The president did not provide technical details Sunday about the purpose, size, timeline, or cost of the newly described underground complex, nor did he specify which military entities would be responsible for the work.

Because the White House complex is a protected federal site, security-related construction details are often limited in public disclosure. Still, the president’s statement marked one of the clearest public acknowledgments of a substantial underground element tied to the ballroom footprint.

Key points

• The president said Sunday that the U.S. military plans a large underground complex beneath the new White House ballroom.
• Construction preparations have involved major changes on the east side of the White House campus, including demolition tied to the former East Wing area.
• The project has triggered disputes over permitting and oversight procedures, as well as litigation aimed at stopping or delaying the work.

“The military is building a big complex under the ballroom,” the president said Sunday, describing it as newly revealed through legal action.

Further details about the underground component — including its function and how it will be reviewed, funded, and integrated into the White House campus — have not been formally released.