Trump’s argument that his proposed $600 million White House ballroom is necessary for presidential security is facing a new challenge: A highly secure bunker already exists beneath the White House complex.
According to former federal officials cited by The Washington Post, the nuclear-resistant underground facility was secretly completed during the Obama administration following the 9/11 attacks. Located more than 60 feet underground, it was designed to shelter the president and senior aides during a national security emergency and could reportedly support dozens of people for weeks.
That revelation could complicate the Trump administration’s legal argument that the new ballroom and its underground security infrastructure are essential to protect the president and ensure continuity of government.
The White House maintains that the $600 million project is about far more than a ballroom, citing hardened structures, anti-drone capabilities and other security measures.
But former officials say the existence of an already-hardened presidential command facility raises an obvious question: If the White House already has a nuclear-proof emergency bunker, how essential is a massive new ballroom to presidential security?
The issue comes as the Supreme Court has temporarily allowed construction to continue while it considers the broader legal fight over the project.