WASHINGTON — In the wake of Saturday’s shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, President Trump and his supporters are doubling down on the necessity for a highly secure ballroom at the White House.
For decades, since 1968, the prestigious dinner has taken place at the Washington Hilton, a hotel situated roughly a mile and a half from the White House. However, due to its status as a public hotel, suspect Cole Thomas Allen allegedly managed to book a room and smuggle in weapons.
This incident has bolstered arguments from Trump and his allies for a secure ballroom on White House grounds.
“The events of last night underscore why our esteemed Military, Secret Service, and Law Enforcement, along with Presidents for the past 150 years, have been advocating for a large, safe, and secure Ballroom to be constructed on White House property,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Had the Militarily Top Secret Ballroom, currently being built at the White House, been in place, this incident could have been prevented. Its completion cannot come soon enough!”
Traditionally, the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), which represents journalists covering the administration, organizes the dinner and decides its location.
Trump, 79, who was famously ridiculed by President Barack Obama when he attended the WHCA’s dinner in 2011, had skipped the event every year of his presidency except this one.
But he has indicated that a future White House ballroom could be used to accommodate the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in the future.
Even some Dems agreed.
“We were there front and center. That venue wasnât built to accommodate an event with the line of succession for the U.S. government,” Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) posted on X.
“After witnessing last night, drop the TDS [Trump Derangement Syndrome] and build the White House ballroom for events exactly like these.”
A torrent of MAGA-aligned influencers and lawmakers echoed that call to complete the White House ballroom project, something Trump has sought since the Obama era.
“Tonight is one more reason for the new White House Trump Ballroom…” Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, said.
âWeâd better never again hear a peep from anyone complaining about a White House ballroom,” Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) wrote on X.
Trump’s bid to construct a sprawling, 90,000 square-foot ballroom â larger than the actual White House itself â has been bogged down by litigation, particularly from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which has raised process concerns with how the president has pursued it.
Last month, US District Judge Richard Leon blocked Trump from carrying on with the project unless Congress gives him the go-ahead. Shortly after that, an appeals court allowed Trump to proceed for now until a hearing in June.
In addition to the ballroom construction, Trump has confirmed that his administration is working on a sophisticated military project on that site.
The planned ballroom sits above the White House’s doomsday bunker, which is built to withstand a nuclear bomb. It has been widely understood that Trump is upgrading that facility.
Trump heaped praise on the Secret Service and other law enforcement who secured the Washington Hilton. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche also stressed that security did its job.
“To the contrary, it was a massive security success story,” Blanche insisted on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday. “This suspect barely breached the perimeter.”
Due to the legal snags Trump has faced in court, some lawmakers such as Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mo.) and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Col.) announced plans to introduce legislation giving the project the go-ahead.
“It is an embarrassment to the strongest nation on earth that we cannot host gatherings in our nationâs capital, including ones attended by our President, without the threat of violence and attempted assassinations,” Sheehy posted on X.
“A President of any party should be able to host events in a secure area without attendees worrying about their safety.”
