Drone Port, And 'Top Secret' Military Facilities: How Trump's Ballroom Project Doubled In Size, Cost

The ballroom project plan at the White House has seen dramatic expansions in terms of size and cost over the past year. Announced by President Donald Trump in July 2025, it was originally projected to cost USD 200 million, with the estimated expenses now expected to bear USD 400 million.

According to a report by BBC News, the proposals have now grown to feature a rooftop “drone port”, an underground hospital and “top secret” military facilities — elements that have added to the estimate price.

President Trump had initially affirmed that the project cost would not be borne by U.S. taxpayers. However, Republicans have now sought additional financial support from the Congress to fund the project.

The development comes at a time when Americans — along

with the rest of the world — are struggling with price rise driven by the conflict in West Asia.

The Mega Ballroom Announcement

In June last year, Trump announced his plans to get a new ballroom built, stating he had inspected a site for the proposed construction.

The President stressed it would be “very much in keeping with the magnificent White House itself”, adding it would “go up quickly”

“These are the ‘fun’ projects I do while thinking about the World Economy, the United States, China, Russia, and lots of other Countries, places, and events,” he had said in a post on Truth Social.

Later, the Trump administration unveiled plans for a new “White House State Ballroom”, saying it would be built where the “small, heavily changed, and reconstructed East Wing currently sits”, BBC News reported.

The White House had said its “theme and architectural heritage will be almost identical” to the main building.

How Did The Plans Change?

According to the BBC News report, the ballroom construction plans have significantly changed over the past year.

The latest plans — revealed by President Trump in April — indicated that the proposed site could include bomb shelters, an underground state-of-the-art hospital and medical facilities, “top secret” military facilities, along with a rooftop drone landing space.

President Trump — who has constantly highlighted the security features of the proposed project — sharpened his stance on the issue after the assassination bid at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in April this year.

“It’s much more secure… It’s drone proof, it’s bulletproof glass. We need the ballroom. That’s why Secret Service, that’s why the military are demanding it,” he had said while addressing a media briefing after the incident.

Initially, Trump had claimed the ballroom would be built at a cost of USD 200 million through his own money and private donations, asserting it would cost no money to the U.S. taxpayers.

In May, Republicans requested funding for a USD 1 billion security package, which included USD 220 million for the new features of the ballroom, BBC News reported.

The request was eventually turned down by the Congress but now, a separate USD 400 million Republican-backed security bill is in the works.