Trump ‘thinks he’s never leaving’ as White House bunker plans draw criticism | US | News
US President Donald Trump’s announcement of plans for a billion-dollar ballroom beneath the White House has led to speculation that he has no intention of ever vacating the building.
On Tuesday, May 19, the US leader gave reporters a glimpse into the progress on the lavish ballroom, noting that “the ballroom is truly a shield and protects everything that’s been built here.”
Trump announced that the construction includes a military hospital and meeting rooms, and that the structure extends approximately six floors underground.
“It’s all interconnected. Between drone endurance, missile endurance and drone capability… it also has a great sniper capability,” he said.
This ambitious project has led many to conclude that Trump has no intention of leaving office.
Democratic Strategist Michelle Kinney shared on X: “This is not a ballroom. This is a sanctuary. He’s not leaving.”
A second user
Another shared: “Trump is turning the White House into Mar-a-Lago 2.0 and has no intention of leaving. That’s why Republicans are trying so hard to stop our votes.”
A fourth said: “Trump thinks he’ll never leave. He’s planning a bunker with US taxpayers’ money.”
Trump insisted the ballroom was funded entirely by donors. Trump’s White House ballroom project suffered a setback a few days ago after a Senate parliamentarian ruled that Republicans could not include $1 billion in taxpayer money in a bill that would direct $1 billion of taxpayer money toward the project’s safety improvements.
The funding proposal was added to a $72 billion budget bill for the Department of Homeland Security by Senate Republicans at the request of GOP officials who said the Secret Service was seeking funding.
If the provision had remained intact, only a simple majority would have needed to pass.
But nonpartisan lawmaker Elizabeth MacDonough determined the funding proposal violated budget reconciliation rules and would have to be revised or the 60-vote threshold had to be met.
Republicans have since stated they are working to change their proposal.
