Former US officials told The Washington Post (WP) that the White House has a nuclear-resistant facility located deep underground. Its construction was carried out in deep secrecy after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
According to the publication, this fact directly undermines the argument of the administration of US President Donald Trump, which wants to build a ballroom on the site of the demolished East Wing of the White House. The need for this project was justified by the lack of a safe place where large events could be held with the participation of foreign leaders.
According to WP interlocutors, construction was completed under President Barack Obama. The bunker can house dozens of people for up to several weeks. Ex-government employees told the publication that the room is located more than 60 feet (18 meters) below the White House complex and was built to withstand a nuclear explosion. Thus, the president and his team have a secure command center to manage the country in emergency situations, the publication emphasizes.
“She [система безопасности] was built specifically to protect the President from a wide range of threats, including the use of weapons of mass destruction. According to former officials, he [бункера] characteristics include many of the safety protocols that the White House describes in an attempt to justify the construction of a new ballroom,” WP clarifies.
The previous bunker at the White House is a small room under the East Wing, built during World War II. It was there that the Secret Service rushed to deliver Vice President Dick Cheney and First Lady Laura Bush during the September 11 attacks, the newspaper adds. According to WP sources, the demolition of the East Wing could expose the bunker underneath, which in itself poses national security risks.
The East Wing of the White House was demolished to make way for the ballroom in late 2025. The president justified the need for the project by the need for a room for special events that could accommodate significantly more guests. The IT giants took full responsibility for the financing. The construction was challenged in court, but the president insisted on continuing work. In April, the D.C. Court of Appeals allowed them to be reinstated. Initially, the Republican stated that construction would cost $200 million, then the cost rose to $600 million.
Trump later told reporters that the hall would be the “safest” building, with the roof covered in steel sheets to protect against drones and also used as a “drone port.” A titanium fence will be built around the White House, and a six-story complex with a bunker, hospital, research center and meeting rooms will be located underground.
“The East Wing modernization project is integral to the security of the President, the White House grounds and certain security infrastructure,” administration spokesman Davis Ingle told WP.
In justifying the need for the project, Ingle cited the example of preventing a terrorist attack at the UFC Freedom 250 tournament on July 14, which took place on the south lawn of the White House. Then, according to authorities, the plotters intended to use drones with explosives on buildings near the arena to cause panic, then snipers were to open fire on the fleeing people, and a “second wave” of attackers was to storm the gates of the White House. The FBI then arrested several suspects; there are more than 20 defendants in the case.
The newspaper's sources noted that the bunker, created after the September 11 terrorist attacks, was built for the same reasons – to ensure national security.
“The White House is committed to completing the project [нового бункера] before the court order to suspend work comes into force. Earlier this month, officials told the Supreme Court that construction was about 65% complete and that about 250 workers were working 20 hours a day, seven days a week to quickly complete the project.
