Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York highlighted the value of President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project in light of multiple assassination attempts against the president.
“The entire nation has a huge interest in the safety of the president, no doubt about it,” York said on the Hugh Hewitt Show Tuesday.
Trump announced the project in July 2025, which included tearing down the East Wing of the White House to make room for the new ballroom.
“For more than 150 years, every President has dreamt about having a Ballroom at the White House to accommodate people for grand parties, State Visits, etc. I am honored to be the first President to finally get this much-needed project underway,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.
The White House did not apply for any permits for the demolition of the East Wing.
“He did not ask for permission to tear down the East Wing. He just tore it down, and he must have enjoyed the kind of ridiculous scene in which a number of people filed lawsuits to stop him from tearing down the East Wing when it was already a hole right next to the White House,” York said.
One major lawsuit came from a preservationist group after Trump demolished the East Wing. The National Trust for Historic Preservation alleged the ballroom project is not necessary and has urged the Supreme Court to stop its construction.
The group called on the Trump administration to get permission from Congress to move forward with the project.
Construction has continued despite the lawsuit, but under the Aug. 7 ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, construction would have to stop on Aug. 21, barring action by the Supreme Court. The preservationist group is urging the Supreme Court to uphold this ruling.
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“We know there is a significant national security component to this new East Wing, not only below it, but with a sort of drone port on the roof as well,” York said.
After the latest assassination attempt on Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in April, the White House called for increased security, and pointed to the construction of the ballroom as an answer.
“We have seen so many assassination attempts on Donald Trump. We know they are out there. We know they are kooks. They are resistance maniacs, and they’re Iranians, too, who are all trying to kill, I would suspect, that the Iranians will be trying to kill Donald Trump for the rest of his life,” York said.
The 60-day memorandum of understanding with Iran expired this week. Trump shot down any indication that the U.S. is negotiating, and said its naval blockade remains in effect. The 60-day deadline passed without any talks to end the war.
Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) told the Washington Examiner after the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner shooting, “If it wasn’t clear before, it should be clear to everyone that the president needs a secure place to have large events.”
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Artist renderings relating to White House Ballroom construction, contained in a filing by the Trump administration to the U.S. Supreme Court, are photographed Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick) -
Artist renderings relating to White House Ballroom construction, contained in a filing by the Trump administration to the U.S. Supreme Court, are photographed Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick) -
Artist renderings relating to White House Ballroom construction, contained in a filing by the Trump administration to the U.S. Supreme Court, are photographed Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)
The ballroom construction has increased security, which includes a military bunker underneath the complex. The president also mentioned what he called a “drone port” just below the roof of the building.
“I think this is a serious issue, and the first thing you have to do is protect the president,” York said.
