President Trump said the shooting near the Washington Hilton underlines the need for a 1,000-seat, secure ballroom on White House grounds. The $400m project began after last October's east wing demolition and has faced legal and funding disputes. Trump described the planned venue as "drone-proof" and urged challengers to drop lawsuits, while at least one Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman, publicly backed accelerating construction.
Trump Says Washington Hilton Shooting Strengthens Case For White House Ballroom
Donald Trump at the White House correspondents’ dinner in Washington DC on 25 April.Photograph: Yuri Gripas/Pool/Yuri Gripas - Pool/CNP/Shutterstock(Photograph: Yuri Gripas/Pool/Yuri Gripas - Pool/CNP/Shutterstock)
President Donald Trump said the shooting near the Washington Hilton on Saturday night bolsters his argument for constructing a 1,000-seat, high-security ballroom on the White House grounds.
What Happened
An armed suspect was arrested after moving toward the Washington Hilton's ballroom during the White House Correspondents' Association annual dinner, where Mr. Trump had been in attendance. The incident forced the president and senior officials to be escorted out and prompted hundreds of guests to take cover.
Trump Links Incident To Ballroom Project
Speaking at a White House press briefing Saturday and in a post on Truth Social the next morning, Mr. Trump said the episode illustrates why a "large, safe, and secure" ballroom is needed on the White House grounds. He described the planned space as "drone-proof" and featuring bulletproof glass and other high-level security measures.
"What happened last night is exactly the reason that our great Military, Secret Service, Law Enforcement... have been DEMANDING that a large, safe, and secure Ballroom be built ON THE GROUNDS OF THE WHITE HOUSE," he wrote on Truth Social.
Project Background And Controversy
The $400 million construction project began after the White House's east wing was demolished last October. That demolition and the broader ballroom plan proceeded before all legal approvals were finalized, prompting lawsuits and debate over funding and the scope of the venue, which is planned to be larger than the core executive residence.
Responses And Context
Mr. Trump urged that legal challenges to the construction be dropped immediately, saying the project is "on budget and substantially ahead of schedule." At least one Democratic senator, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, publicly supported accelerating construction after the incident, saying the Hilton "wasn't built to accommodate an event with the line of succession for the US government."
After the incident, Mr. Trump told reporters he would not let the scare change how he lives his life, calling the episode "very unexpected" but saying he handles such threats as well as can be expected. He praised the coverage by journalists and complimented Weijia Jiang, the White House Correspondents' Association president, for her role at the event.
This episode follows two prior assassination attempts Mr. Trump survived during his 2024 campaign, a fact he and his aides referenced as part of broader security concerns.
The planned ballroom remains a politically charged project amid ongoing litigation and public debate about security, cost and preservation of historic White House grounds.
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