White House's secret bunker to be upgraded under Trump's East Wing plan; critics slam admin

The bunker under the White House's East Wing will be upgraded under President Donald Trump's renovation plans

Published on: Oct 23, 2025, 09:35:51 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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The bunker under the White House's East Wing will be upgraded under President Donald Trump's renovation plans, CBS News reported on Wednesday, citing sources. The Presidential Emergency Operations Center is a bunker that serves as a secure shelter and communications center for the president and others in case of an emergency.

Demolition of the East Wing of the White House, during construction on the new ballroom extension of the White House (Bloomberg)

Specific details about upgrades to the bunker have not been revealed yet.

Meanwhile, President Trump on Wednesday said that the East Wing is being torn down in its entirety to make way for a huge $300-million ballroom. He told reporters at an Oval Office event that he had decided after consulting architects that "really knocking it down" was preferable to a partial demolition.

Among other rooms, Trump's plan is expected to impact First Lady Melania Trump's office and other department centers. The president said that the new 90,000-square-foot ballroom will be able to host large state dinners and other events that currently have to be held in a tent.

“In order to do it properly, we had to take down the existing structure,” Trump said.

However, the Trump administration is facing criticism. "We are deeply concerned that the massing and height of the proposed new construction will overwhelm the White House itself -- (which) is 55,000 square feet -- and may also permanently disrupt the carefully balanced classical design of the White House with its two smaller, and lower, East and West Wings," the National Trust for Historic Preservation said in a letter on Tuesday.

Trump dismissed questions about how transparent he had been regarding the project.

“It’s gotten really great reviews. I think we’ve been more transparent than anybody’s ever,” he added.

Plans show that the ballroom will be able to seat as many as 650 guests, though Trump recently claimed the final version could accommodate up to 999 people.

According to the White House, the design will be led by McCrery Architects, a Washington, DC–based firm, with Clark Construction overseeing the build and AECOM managing engineering work.

Trump reportedly courted billionaire backers at a private event last week to promote the ballroom plan. Among those in attendance were Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, oil magnate Harold Hamm, and crypto investors Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss.

(With AFP inputs)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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