Trump wants $1B to protect White House ballroom from drones and other threats

Source: Ars Technica

Background

President Donald Trump’s latest pitch for using taxpayer dollars to secure his White House ballroom featured a militarized building—including a rooftop hardened against drone strikes and a “drone port” that could potentially house military drones.

The remarks came on May 19 as Trump gave reporters a personal tour of the ballroom project that has already involved the demolition of the White House mansion’s East Wing. The president spoke of installing a rooftop drone base “for unlimited numbers of drones” operated by the U.S. military as a “drone port that would protect all of Washington,” according to Reuters. He also highlighted a ballroom roof made from “impenetrable steel” that would supposedly be “drone‑proof” against potential drone strikes.

Funding Request

To pay for such measures, Trump has been urging Republican lawmakers in the U.S. Congress to approve $1 billion in taxpayer funding for a wide variety of “security adjustments and upgrades” for his ballroom project.

The taxpayer‑backed security enhancements would be separate from the $400 million construction cost for the ballroom, which has been funded by private donors, including companies such as Amazon, Apple, Coinbase, Comcast, Google, HP Inc., Lockheed Martin, Meta, Micron Technology, Microsoft, Palantir, Ripple, and T‑Mobile.

Proposed Security Measures

It is unclear whether the anti‑drone security measures and rooftop drone port will actually be incorporated into the ballroom design. However, Trump’s comments coincide with new U.S. government efforts to protect buildings and crowd events against potential threats posed by drones.

Pentagon Guidance on Drone Protection

In January 2026, the Pentagon issued a “Guide for Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructure” that recommends “hardening” security measures to physically block drone access to facilities or events. Suggested obstacles include:

• Concrete walls, enclosures, or hardened roofs designed to protect against drone surveillance or strikes
• Overhead netting and cables

These recommendations represent a “notable shift” in the U.S. military’s stance toward anti‑drone defenses, as reported by The War Zone.