Trump Confirms White House Ballroom Will Feature “Drone-Free Roof” as Costs Rise to $400M
President Trump confirmed Monday that the controversial new White House ballroom will include a “drone-free roof,” a claim underscoring his focus on security and spectacle in the high-cost project now under construction.
The president made the remarks at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where he shifted briefly from foreign policy to details about the domestic construction. According to several reports, Trump described the ballroom as larger than he previously indicated and said the roof would prevent drones from approaching or touching it.
The ballroom has become a flashpoint in Washington, with cost estimates rising sharply from an initial roughly $200 million to about $400 million, a figure Trump acknowledged even as he cast the project as privately financed and not a taxpayer burden. The White House has already demolished the historic East Wing to clear the site for the new build, drawing criticism from preservation groups and lawmakers who argue standard review processes are being bypassed.
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“This is going to be a magnificent addition and it’s not costing the taxpayers anything,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt earlier in the year.
The addition’s expanded security features, including bulletproof glass and its so-called drone-free roof, have become part of Trump’s broader pitch for a secure, multifunctional venue that could host future inaugurations and large events.
Opponents point out that formal reviews under federal preservation laws are only now beginning, with hearings before planning and fine arts commissions slated for early January. The administration has laid out a compressed nine-week timeline to secure approvals, a move that critics argue undermines comprehensive oversight.
What happens next?
That will include federal commission reviews and likely more debate over funding, oversight and the ambitious design as construction continues into 2028.
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