How Trump's White House ballroom plan has doubled in size and cost over a year
Key takeaways
- The president indicated from the outset that the new ballroom is needed to "accommodate people for grand parties, State Visits", and more recently said it is "vital for National Security".
- BBC Verify has examined how the biggest change to the White House in decades has transformed over the past year.
- "These are the 'fun' projects I do while thinking about the World Economy, the United States, China, Russia, and lots of other Countries, places, and events," he added.
Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.
Jake Horton & Lucy Gilder BBC Verify in Washington DCGetty Images In the year since US President Donald Trump announced plans to build a new ballroom at the White House, the proposals have grown to include a rooftop "drone port", an underground hospital and "top secret" military facilities - and the estimated price has doubled to $400m (£300m).
Despite promises from Trump that the project wouldn't cost US taxpayers any money, Republicans have requested additional funds from Congress for security around the complex - at a time when Americans are struggling with rising living costs linked to the Iran war.
The president indicated from the outset that the new ballroom is needed to "accommodate people for grand parties, State Visits", and more recently said it is "vital for National Security".