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Donald Trump gives update on 'massive' White House military bunker in major row

Trump says a "massive" military bunker is being built under a new White House ballroom, amid legal disputes over the multi-million dollar project and calls for congressional approval

[Donald Trump]

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Donald Trump has given an update on building work at the White House(Image: China News Service via Getty Images)

Donald Trump has given an update on the construction of a "massive" military bunker beneath the White House, as a high-profile legal and political row continues to surround his plans for a new $300million (226million) ballroom.

The project, centred on the long-desired White House ballroom, has already triggered controversy after the demolition of the East Wing began in October. While the development is intended to replace the historic section with a large event space, it has also brought renewed attention to a previously low-profile underground military facility being built at the same time.

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One over the weekend, Trump said the controversy around the ballroom project had inadvertently revealed details about the underground works, which he claimed had been kept out of the public eye.

[The White House]

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The White House has been undergoing renovations(Image: Getty Images)

"The military is building a big complex under the ballroom, which has come out recently because of a stupid lawsuit that was filed," he said.

He described the planned ballroom as effectively covering what is being constructed beneath it, adding that the building would incorporate enhanced protective features.

According to Trump, the structure will include "high-grade bulletproof glass" designed to protect the facility below "from drones and from any other thing."

The comments come as the project faces legal challenges. A US District Court judge ruled this week that construction of the ballroom must pause until Congress gives formal approval, siding with the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

However, the judge allowed work to continue in the meantime where it relates to "the safety and security of the White House," acknowledging the administration's argument that the broader project includes national security elements.

The White House has appealed the ruling, and the administration has maintained that aspects of the construction are tied to protective infrastructure rather than purely aesthetic redevelopment.

Trump himself has repeatedly pointed to security upgrades connected to the site. On Monday, while signing executive orders in the Oval Office, he reiterated that the ruling allows construction to proceed where necessary for safety and security.

He listed a range of features reportedly included in the wider development, saying: "The roof is droneproof. We have secure air-handling systems. We have bio-defense all over. We have secure telecommunications and communications all over. We have bomb shelters that we're building. We have a hospital and very major medical facilities that we're building."

[Trump]

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Trump issued a scathing rant on Truth Social today(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

The existence of underground facilities at the White House is not new. The Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC), a World War II-era bunker built during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency, has long been known to exist, particularly after officials sheltered there during the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The structure, designed as an emergency command centre, has been periodically upgraded over the decades. However, the current status of any modernised or replacement underground complex remains unclear.

Reports earlier this year suggested the existing bunker had been dismantled as part of ongoing renovation works, though official details have been limited.

When asked about the underground construction, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to provide specifics, saying only that military upgrades were underway and that she was "not privy" to further information.

The administration has also indicated that some details of the project are classified. Officials have pointed to national security considerations in court filings, with the Secret Service confirming its involvement in coordinating protective measures at the construction site, while emphasising that certain aspects cannot be publicly disclosed.

Public scrutiny of the project has intensified alongside concerns raised by architectural and preservation groups, who argue the demolition of the East Wing and the scale of the ballroom lack sufficient oversight and approval.

Critics have also questioned environmental impacts and the handling of a historic section of the White House complex. Despite the legal challenges, elements of the project have continued to move forward.

Trump allies have suggested that portions of the work involve sensitive security upgrades, while planning bodies have recently given revised versions of the ballroom proposal the green light.

The US President's threat to wipe out a "whole civilisation" in Iran has sparked calls for him to be removed from office today, with one former White House director demanding he be ousted "immediately".

"Wake up: he is calling for a nuclear strike," said Anthony Scaramucci, who served in Trump's first administration in July 2017. "Seek his removal immediately," the former communications director added.

Trump launched the shocking rant on Truth Social as his deadline for Iran to re-open the Strait of Hormuz looms amid rising fuel prices. "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," he wrote. "I don't want that to happen, but it probably will."

Trump went on to say that "47 years of extortion, corruption and death, will finally end" if Iran does not agree to a ceasefire and re-opening of Strait, through which around 20 percent of the world's oil and gas passes.

He added: "However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?

"We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!"

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