Karoline Leavitt addressed reporters on Monday following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday evening. One of the questions from the floor asked about Trump’s intention to reschedule the dinner within 30 days, if he already had a specific venue in mind, and would he consider hosting the event at the White House. Leavitt gave a very detailed answer where she highlighted that Donald Trump’s ballroom extension plan would offer better security.
Leavitt replied, “Well, unfortunately, we don’t have a room big enough here at the White House, which is another point to be made, and the President is absolutely right. It’s why the White House Ballroom Project is not just a fun project for President Trump, like you will read in the media. It is actually critical for our national security that a larger, secure building on this complex, which is the most secure complex in the world, is built to accommodate not only large numbers of guests, but also the President, the Vice President, and members of the Cabinet. The line of succession in this country should be able to gather freely and safely without the fear of threats or political violence, and the White House Ballroom will provide that. So it’s critical that we get this project done as quickly as possible,” she said.
Leavitt seemed to be reiterating what the president and other top officials have said. After being evacuated, Trump stated that night, “We need the ballroom,” while others have backed him up. House Speaker Mike Johnson said, “The ballroom will be a solution for this,” while Ohio Rep. Michael has said the same, stating that it needs to happen “as soon as possible.”
Leavitt: The White House Ballroom project is not just a fun project for President Trump, it is actually critical for our national security pic.twitter.com/FUAT7jZN6y
— Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) April 27, 2026
Another voice for the East wing addition was Gov. Jeff Landry. He said, “This is why the president should get his ballroom. You could have the White House Correspondents dinner there and not have to worry about these things.”
They are of course referring to the $400 million addition to the East Wing that has been halted by the courts. At the time, the judge said that the extension did not have the necessary authorization from Congress, and so it could not move forward despite the fact that large parts had already been demolished.
Interestingly, ballroom renovation will substantially increase the capacity from 200 to 1,000 guests, which will make it more suitable for government events. But, it will still be smaller than the Washington Hilton — where the dinner took place — which can hold up to 2,000 people.
Rep. Vindman tells PabloReports that it doesn’t make any sense to include the White House ballroom in the reconciliation package.
PabloReports: What do you make of Republicans trying to put Trump’s ballroom in the reconciliation package?
Vindman: I don’t think it makes any… pic.twitter.com/7PBVRxhl92
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 27, 2026
And while some are backing the president about the ballroom addition, others are not buying it. Colorado Rep. Brittany Petterson pointed out that there are other urgent needs that should be met before looking at the White House extension. “What happened Saturday was terrifying but let’s not forget that Speaker Johnson is refusing to fund DHS & the Secret Service. We don’t need to waste millions of dollars on a ballroom; we need our government to function. Stop the vanity projects,” she wrote.
Another Democrat politician, Rep. Vindman also didn’t understand the sudden hype around the East Wing renovation. He stated, “I don’t think it makes any sense. The ballroom should have gone through Congress at the start, and right now, they’re trying to jam it through, and it doesn’t make any sense.”
