Trump describes White House renovations and a new secure ballroom

President Donald J. Trump gave a detailed account of White House restoration work at the Rose Garden event, describing replaced stone paving, stripped columns and a new presidential walk. He said crews removed 150 years of paint from columns, replaced broken stone with granite pavers and rebuilt walkways to preserve architectural detail.

Trump announced plans for a new White House ballroom and what he called a "tremendous military center," saying the project would address space limitations for heads of state and large ceremonies and add security features. "The ballroom is going up ... bulletproof, drone-proof, missile-proof in many ways," he said, and added that the project would include a drone port on the roof and a substantial military component.

He framed the construction as serving both ceremonial and national-security purposes, saying the additions would allow the White House to host larger official events and better protect visiting dignitaries. Trump said the ballroom would seat many more guests than existing White House spaces and predicted it would be completed toward the middle of 2028.

The president described collaboration with military leaders on security design and praised the project's architectural and engineering qualities. He said the work had faced legal challenges in the past and that the administration had addressed logistical and preservation concerns while moving the project forward.

Trump's remarks on the renovations combined specific construction details with broad claims about comparative scale and security. The speech did not include supporting documents, timelines from the Office of the President, or independent architectural plans in the transcript; the completion date and some technical capabilities were stated by the president during his remarks.