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Trump's White House ballroom gets design approval

An ongoing legal case has halted construction on the site.

Politics & Policy

President <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Trump&#x27;s ballroom project" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/04/01/despite-construction-setback-trumps-ballroom-design-still-expected-to-win-approval" data-vars-content-id="78fc6532-27ce-4c76-8c4c-6b2820529dde" data-vars-headline="Trump&#x27;s White House ballroom gets design approval" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/04/01/despite-construction-setback-trumps-ballroom-design-still-expected-to-win-approval" target="_self">Trump&#x27;s ballroom project</a> won design approval on Thursday, even though an ongoing legal case has <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="halted construction" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/31/trump-ballroom-plans-judge-order" data-vars-content-id="78fc6532-27ce-4c76-8c4c-6b2820529dde" data-vars-headline="Trump&#x27;s White House ballroom gets design approval" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/31/trump-ballroom-plans-judge-order" target="_self">halted construction</a> on the site.Why it matters: The National Capital Planning Commission&#x27;s sign-off won&#x27;t restart construction, but it clears a final procedural hurdle for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Trump&#x27;s" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" data-vars-content-id="78fc6532-27ce-4c76-8c4c-6b2820529dde" data-vars-headline="Trump&#x27;s White House ballroom gets design approval" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_self">Trump&#x27;s</a> fast-tracked, $400 million plans for transforming the White House.

Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump's White House project faces a pivotal week

News

President Trump <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="told reporters" data-vars-click-url="https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-press-gaggle-air-force-one-march-29-2026/" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-press-gaggle-air-force-one-march-29-2026/" target="_blank">told reporters</a> aboard Air Force One on Sunday that the military &quot;is building a massive complex&quot; under <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the White House ballroom" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/03/02/9000-pages-public-comments-slam-white-house-ballroom" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/03/02/9000-pages-public-comments-slam-white-house-ballroom" target="_self">the White House ballroom</a> that&#x27;s under construction — adding fresh intrigue to an already controversial renovation.Why it matters: Major <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="changes to the White House" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/19/white-house-trump-changes-photos" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/19/white-house-trump-changes-photos" target="_self">changes to the White House</a> are rare — but Trump is rapidly reshaping the complex in his second term, often sidestepping traditional approval processes.Driving the news: Trump said the $400 million ballroom &quot;actually becomes a shed for what&#x27;s being built&quot; underneath by the military.<ul><li>Outfitted with bulletproof windows, &quot;drone-proof roofs&quot; and his favored <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Corinthian columns" data-vars-click-url="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/03/15/white-house-columns-ionic-corinthian/" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/03/15/white-house-columns-ionic-corinthian/" target="_blank">Corinthian columns</a>, the ballroom is weeks &quot;ahead of schedule and under budget,&quot; with &quot;not one dime of government money going into the ballroom.&quot;</li><li>A closed porch will have views of the Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial and Lincoln Memorial.</li></ul>What he&#x27;s saying: &quot;I&#x27;m so busy that I don&#x27;t have time to do this,&quot; Trump said. &quot;I&#x27;m fighting wars and other things. But this is very important, because this is gonna be with us for a long time … I think it&#x27;ll be the greatest ballroom anywhere in the world.&quot;<figure><img alt="Donald Trump in a dark suit and red tie leans over, holding a large print of a white neoclassical government building with American flags, set against a blue sky." height="1409" id="a8a1fa15-647b-433a-80f5-910fb45d32ca" src="https://images.axios.com/dba4u91VFdoP1iLkqoHraYMCL3A=/2026/03/30/1774895014223.jpeg" width="2000"/><figcaption>The East Wing modernization project faces a final vote — and possible court decision — this week. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>The intrigue: White House officials told reporters that the underground complex is a matter of national security and declined to offer further details.Context: Subterranean White House facilities aren&#x27;t new. The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Presidential Emergency Operations Center" data-vars-click-url="https://interestingengineering.com/culture/a-look-inside-the-us-presidents-top-secret-white-house-bunker" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://interestingengineering.com/culture/a-look-inside-the-us-presidents-top-secret-white-house-bunker" target="_blank">Presidential Emergency Operations Center</a> (PEOC) was created during WWII to protect <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="President Franklin D. Roosevelt" data-vars-click-url="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/secret-spaces-at-the-white-house" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/secret-spaces-at-the-white-house" target="_blank">President Franklin D. Roosevelt</a> in case of an attack.<ul><li>It&#x27;s been used during crises like 9/11 and in times of unrest, including the 2020 George Floyd protests, when Trump was <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="moved" data-vars-click-url="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-violence-b3817623ef861818803b5676d43741ea" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-violence-b3817623ef861818803b5676d43741ea" target="_blank">moved</a> to the bunker.</li><li><a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="CNN reported" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/19/politics/east-wing-secret-bunker-construction-details" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/19/politics/east-wing-secret-bunker-construction-details" target="_blank">CNN reported</a> in January that the existing PEOC had been &quot;dismantled&quot; during Trump&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="East Wing demolition" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/10/21/trump-white-house-east-wing-renovation-backlash" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/10/21/trump-white-house-east-wing-renovation-backlash" target="_self">East Wing demolition</a> and that a new, modernized facility was in the works.</li></ul>More intrigue: Officials have suggested the classified underground work is why White House construction moved ahead without National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) approval.<ul><li>White House official Joshua Fisher told the NCPC that the overall project would boost &quot;mission-critical functionality,&quot; make &quot;necessary security enhancements,&quot; and create &quot;resilient, adaptive infrastructure&quot; for future needs, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="CNN" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/19/politics/east-wing-secret-bunker-construction-details" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/19/politics/east-wing-secret-bunker-construction-details" target="_blank">CNN</a>.</li><li>In a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="court filing" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/us/politics/judge-white-house-ballroom-trump.html" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/us/politics/judge-white-house-ballroom-trump.html" target="_blank">court filing</a> to stop the East Wing demolition, officials warned that halting the work would &quot;endanger national security.&quot;</li></ul>Between the lines: In a city where it&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="difficult to build up" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/03/05/trump-height-act-dc-legalize-skyscrapers" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/03/05/trump-height-act-dc-legalize-skyscrapers" target="_self">difficult to build up</a>, the Trump administration is going underground. Earlier this month, it sent <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a proposal" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ncpc.gov/files/projects/2026/8763_White_House_Visitor_Screening_Facility_Submission_Materials_Apr2026.pdf" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ncpc.gov/files/projects/2026/8763_White_House_Visitor_Screening_Facility_Submission_Materials_Apr2026.pdf" target="_blank">a proposal</a> to the NCPC for a 33,000-square-foot screening facility for White House visitors below Sherman Park.<figure><img alt="After the 9/11 attacks, President George W. Bush met with this National Security Council in the East Wing bunker, which was reportedly dismantled in the East Wing demo. Photo by Eric Draper, Courtesy of the George W. Bush Presidential Library" height="2048" id="4a41f4d2-e8d4-4c18-9775-476bbecc0a48" src="https://images.axios.com/q8FE_boHRGDKkfpyWfvthBHyBos=/2026/03/30/1774895233562.jpeg" width="3072"/><figcaption>After the 9/11 attacks, President George W. Bush met with this National Security Council in the East Wing bunker, which was reportedly dismantled in the East Wing demolition. Photo: Eric Draper, courtesy of the George W. Bush Presidential Library</figcaption></figure>Friction point: The ballroom design got more than 9,000 pages of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="negative public comments" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/03/02/9000-pages-public-comments-slam-white-house-ballroom" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/03/02/9000-pages-public-comments-slam-white-house-ballroom" target="_self">negative public comments</a>, but the NCPC, chaired by a top Trump official, is expected to vote to approve the project at its<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" Thursday meeting" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ncpc.gov/review/agenda/" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ncpc.gov/review/agenda/" target="_blank"> Thursday meeting</a>.<ul><li>Local officials like D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, a member of the NCPC, are still voicing concerns about the addition overwhelming the White House: &quot;I am disturbed about the height,&quot; he told reporters Monday.</li></ul>Meanwhile, the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="National Trust for Historic Preservation" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/12/12/trump-ballroom-white-house-lawsuit" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/12/12/trump-ballroom-white-house-lawsuit" target="_self">National Trust for Historic Preservation</a> has sued to halt the project, arguing that the president skipped over congressional approval.What&#x27;s next: In addition to the Thursday vote, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, who&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="expressed skepticism" data-vars-click-url="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/01/22/trump-ballroom-approval-lawsuit/" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/01/22/trump-ballroom-approval-lawsuit/" target="_blank">expressed skepticism</a> over the project and its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="private donor funding" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/16/trump-white-house-ballroom-ethics-donors" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/16/trump-white-house-ballroom-ethics-donors" target="_self">private donor funding</a>, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="signaled" data-vars-click-url="https://www.courthousenews.com/federal-judge-likely-to-block-brazen-white-house-ballroom-construction/" data-vars-content-id="aa0d77ad-3581-4749-b5ce-234ba0178e80" data-vars-headline="Ballroom above, bunker below: Trump&#x27;s White House project faces a pivotal week" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.courthousenews.com/federal-judge-likely-to-block-brazen-white-house-ballroom-construction/" target="_blank">signaled</a> that a ruling on the National Trust&#x27;s lawsuit will come early this week — potentially halting the ballroom construction that&#x27;s set to start in April.

Saudis give National Zoo its biggest gift ever to build leopard habitat

A $51.6M Saudi-funded habitat will bring one of the world's rarest big cats to the National Zoo

Make way, pandas, there&#x27;s a new emissary coming to town: The Saudi royals are bankrolling a $51.6 million habitat for the Arabian Leopard in the largest donation ever to the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="National Zoo" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/02/04/d-c-zoo-welcomes-baby-asian-elephant" data-vars-content-id="8920c195-1ad8-4011-be4e-b55177645f30" data-vars-headline="Saudis give National Zoo its biggest gift ever to build leopard habitat" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/02/04/d-c-zoo-welcomes-baby-asian-elephant" target="_self">National Zoo</a>.Why it matters: Native to the Arabian peninsula, a pair of the sleek, sand-colored mountain cats — only about 120 remain in the wild — will be part of a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="15-year Smithsonian effort" data-vars-click-url="https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/exhibits/saudi-arabia-arabian-leopard" data-vars-content-id="8920c195-1ad8-4011-be4e-b55177645f30" data-vars-headline="Saudis give National Zoo its biggest gift ever to build leopard habitat" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/exhibits/saudi-arabia-arabian-leopard" target="_blank">15-year Smithsonian effort</a> to save them from extinction.

Tail Up Goat's next act: Rye Bunny brings "fine-casual" to Adams Morgan

Rye Bunny, from the Tail Up Goat team, swaps full service for counter-order.

Food and Drink

Move over, fast-casuals. &quot;Fine-casual&quot; is D.C.&#x27;s hottest restaurant trend, and one of the most anticipated openings lands Thursday: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Rye Bunny" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/02/06/dc-restaurant-bar-trends-2026" data-vars-content-id="ae37fd61-4dff-49aa-aa5a-9950068baaf3" data-vars-headline="Tail Up Goat&#x27;s next act: Rye Bunny brings &quot;fine-casual&quot; to Adams Morgan" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/02/06/dc-restaurant-bar-trends-2026" target="_self">Rye Bunny</a>.Why it matters: Chef Jon Sybert and Jill Tyler are replacing their beloved Adams Morgan spot, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Tail Up Goat" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/04/24/tail-up-goat-closing-adams-morgan" data-vars-content-id="ae37fd61-4dff-49aa-aa5a-9950068baaf3" data-vars-headline="Tail Up Goat&#x27;s next act: Rye Bunny brings &quot;fine-casual&quot; to Adams Morgan" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/04/24/tail-up-goat-closing-adams-morgan" target="_self">Tail Up Goat</a>, with a more laid-back sibling serving cheffy comfort food — still built to wow.

D.C.-area athletes to watch at the Paris 2024 Olympics

There are 17 Olympians from the Washington region to root for in Paris

Sports

The DMV&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Olympians" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2024/07/26/2024-paris-olympics-virginia-athletes" data-vars-content-id="b8ffc219-4a3b-4562-877a-c537aaf21f45" data-vars-headline="D.C.-area athletes to watch at the Paris 2024 Olympics" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2024/07/26/2024-paris-olympics-virginia-athletes" target="_self">Olympians</a> are in Paris getting ready for the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="opening ceremony" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/07/26/olympics-2024-schedule-opening-ceremony-watch" data-vars-content-id="b8ffc219-4a3b-4562-877a-c537aaf21f45" data-vars-headline="D.C.-area athletes to watch at the Paris 2024 Olympics" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/07/26/olympics-2024-schedule-opening-ceremony-watch" target="_self">opening ceremony</a> Friday afternoon — stars including seven-time, gold-winning swimmer Katie Ledecky and basketballer Kevin Durant.Why it matters: There are 19 Olympians from the Washington region to root for in this year&#x27;s games, which run through Aug. 11.