Why Trump’s Hidden White House Hospital Is Causing Controversy
The White House has launched an aggressive new push to move forward with President Donald Trump’s proposed ballroom project, now claiming the massive structure is also necessary to provide the ageing president with “state-of-the-art hospital and medical facilities.”
The latest development came through a court filing submitted late Thursday by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. The filing strongly defended the planned $400 million ballroom project and accused preservation groups opposing it of suffering from what it called “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” Officials described the ballroom as a “gift to the People of the United States.”
The legal dispute began after the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit in December to stop construction. The group argued that the White House East Wing was demolished without proper approval to make space for the proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom. A federal judge temporarily halted above-ground construction, although the order has been paused while an appeals court reviews the matter. Oral arguments are expected on June 5.
The controversy intensified after a suspected gunman, Cole Tomas Allen, allegedly carried out an attack during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in April. Following the incident, Blanche publicly urged the National Trust to withdraw its lawsuit, but the organisation refused.
In the latest filing, Blanche sharply criticised the nonprofit group for what he called a lack of seriousness regarding the attempted attack. He accused the organisation of downplaying the incident by referring to it merely as a “recent incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.”
According to the filing, the ballroom project which reportedly includes an underground bunker — is being presented as a critical security measure aimed at preventing future assassination attempts. Blanche argued that future presidents should not have to risk their safety because of opposition from preservation groups.
The filing also revealed a major new detail: the proposed “Military Top Secret Ballroom” would include advanced underground medical facilities for the president. Blanche said the project would feature a modern hospital setup, bomb shelters, military-grade installations, protective structures, and advanced security systems designed to safeguard the president and senior officials.
Trump had originally announced the ballroom project last year as a privately funded venue intended for hosting major diplomatic and entertainment events. However, after a federal judge suggested congressional approval would be needed for non-security-related construction, the White House began reframing the project as an urgent national security requirement.
Questions have also emerged regarding funding. Trump had repeatedly claimed private donors would fully finance the project, but Senate allies are now reportedly seeking nearly $1 billion in federal funding linked to ballroom security upgrades. The administration says the funds would cover bulletproof glass, drone detection systems, chemical threat monitoring equipment, and enhanced Secret Service protection measures.
Earlier this week, Trump dismissed criticism over the project’s enormous cost and even called a female reporter questioning the expenses a “dumb person.” On Friday, he announced that he expects the ballroom to be completed by September 2028.
Trump has continued to promote the project aggressively, claiming it “will be the finest facility of its kind anywhere in the U.S.A.”
