Sen. Rand Paul backs White House ballroom after WHCA shooting
Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., discusses his bill to ensure a privately funded, secure White House ballroom following a recent shooting incident. He addresses President Donald Trump’s renewed push for the ballroom, emphasizing that his bill avoids taxpayer expenditure. Paul critiques partisan opposition from Democrats like Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who debate the $400 million project’s necessity and funding. The senator highlights the need for bipartisan support for presidential security measures.
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President Donald Trump is reportedly considering installing a White House helipad for Marine One, the latest potential update to the executive mansion’s grounds.
“President Trump has continued to make improvements at the White House and all around D.C. to benefit future presidents and Americans,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Fox News Digital when asked about the reported consideration on Monday morning.
The White House did not reveal additional details on the matter.
The helipad would protect the South Lawn’s grass from the powerful engines of the newer helicopters used by the president, the Wall Street Journal first reported Monday. It is unclear who would fund building the possible addition.
A U.S. Secret Service Special Agent stands guard as Marine One lifts off with President Donald Trump aboard from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on April 11, 2026. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)
Trump’s White House renovations and broader D.C. beautification push have drawn both praise from supporters and criticism from preservationists and political opponents.
TRUMP REVEALS FIRST PHOTOS AFTER LINCOLN BEDROOM’S RENOVATION IN THE WHITE HOUSE
Recently, Trump replaced the West Wing Colonnade with polished black granite flooring along the “Presidential Walk of Fame.”
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media after returning to the White House on May 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. President Trump is returning to Washington from his trip to China, where he and President Xi addressed ways to enhance bilateral economic cooperation and investment, and agreed that Iran should not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. ( (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Trump’s ongoing construction of the White House Ballroom has also returned to the spotlight after security concerns surrounding large presidential events intensified following the April shooting tied to the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
A 250-foot triumphal arch is proposed to sit near the Lincoln Memorial at a roundabout between Memorial Bridge and Memorial Avenue near the Arlington Cemetery Metro Stop.
WHITE HOUSE MAKEOVERS HAVE LONG SPARKED CONTROVERSY, WELL BEFORE PRESIDENT TRUMP’S $200M BALLROOM
President Donald Trump waves to reporters as he walks to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on May 8, 2026. (Jose Luis Magana/AP)
Last year, President Trump directed the addition of stone pavers to the Rose Garden lawn, a change designed to better accommodate press conferences and ceremonial events which is now dubbed the “Rose Garden Club.”
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Throughout its 223-year history, the iconic residence has seen numerous updates — both large and small — under nearly every administration, including the creation of the first Oval Office in 1909 under the Taft administration, and the addition of the East Wing under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s tenure.