Trump Uses Correspondents' Dinner Shooting to Boost Push for 'Safer' White House Ballroom
Trump used the WHCD shooting to renew his push for the new White House ballroom.
April 26 2026, Published 1:45 p.m. ET
Donald Trump seized on the shooting outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner to revive his push for a fortified ballroom at the White House, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The president argued the violence exposed security flaws at the current venue and underscored the need for a more controlled, high-security setting.
Gunfire Erupts Near WHCD Crowd
Gunfire erupted near the Washington Hilton during the annual event.
A gunman armed with multiple weapons opened fire near a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton, where journalists, celebrities, and government officials had gathered for the annual event.
A United States Secret Service agent was struck but saved by a ballistic vest, and the suspect was quickly taken into custody, authorities said.
Trump Calls Venue 'Not Secure'
A Secret Service agent was struck but protected by a vest.
"We looked at all of the conditions that took place tonight. I will say, it's not a particularly secure building," the president explained from the White House. "I didn't want to say this, but this is why we have to have all the attributes of what we're planning at the White House."
"They wanted the ballroom for 150 years for lots of different reasons, but today is a little bit different," he continued. "We need a level of security that no one has seen before."
Ballroom Plan Sparks Backlash
Supporters pointed to the incident as justification for a new ballroom.
The proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom, which would replace the historic East Wing, has already drawn scrutiny.
Legal challenges have slowed the project, with courts weighing whether proper approvals were bypassed, while critics question both the cost and the impact on the White House’s historic footprint.
Trump posted to Truth Social on Sunday morning, "This event would never have happened with the Militarily Top Secret Ballroom currently under construction at the White House."
"It cannot be built fast enough! While beautiful, it has every highest level security feature there is plus, there are no rooms sitting on top for unsecured people to pour in, and is inside the gates of the most secure building in the World, The White House... Nothing should be allowed to interfere with its construction, which is on budget and substantially ahead of schedule!!!" he added, in part.
Unified Call For Action
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
MAGA accounts posted in unison backing a more secure White House venue.
In the wake of the shooting, pro-Trump accounts flooded social media with calls for a secure White House venue.
The coordinated messaging signaled how quickly the incident has been folded into the broader political fight over Trump's controversial ballroom plan.
"This is why we need Trump's ballroom," someone said.
"I don't want to hear one more f***ing criticism of Trump's new ballroom at the White House," another wrote.
"If only there was a ballroom at the White House where they could host secure events," a user wrote sarcastically.
"The White House Ballroom is looking better and better," someone else shared.
