Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has called on fellow Democrats to support President Donald Trump's proposed $400 million White House ballroom, following a shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner that sent attendees scrambling for cover. In a post on X, Fetterman wrote, 'That venue wasn't built to accommodate an event with the line of succession for the U.S. government. After witnessing last night, drop the TDS and build the White House ballroom for events exactly like these.'
The shooting occurred minutes into the annual dinner at the Washington Hilton, prompting the evacuation of nearly the entire Cabinet and the DC press corps. President Trump, who had left the event before the incident, took to Truth Social early Sunday to argue that the attack underscored the need for the ballroom, which he said would have 'every highest level security feature' and be located within the White House gates.
Trump's post was echoed by a wave of Republican figures, including Florida Representative Randy Fine, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, and conservative commentator Meghan McCain, who wrote, 'I don’t want to hear one more f***ing criticism of Trump’s new ballroom at the White House.' The project, which involves demolishing the East Wing, has been halted by a federal judge, though construction of a secure bunker continues.
Critics have long derided the ballroom as a vanity project, with costs ballooning from an initial $200 million to $400 million. Trump claims it is fully funded through private donations via a nonprofit, the Trust for the National Mall. Democrats have questioned the project's transparency and necessity, but Fetterman's support marks a notable shift within the party.
Security at the Hilton was managed by the Secret Service, with metal detectors in place. Some attendees reported lax ticket checks, though The Independent confirmed multiple security checkpoints. The incident has reignited debate over the safety of holding such high-profile events off the White House grounds.
