White House Ballroom: Trump's Security Plan Amid Shooting

0:00It's April 26th. I'm Cory with the story, and this is US News Today, your AI-powered national briefing. A shooting shook up the White House correspondent's dinner last Saturday night at the Washington Hilton. A suspect busted through a secret service checkpoint with a shotgun, hitting one agent in the chest, but the bullet-resistant vest saved his life. President Trump, First Lady Melania, Vice President JD Vance, and Cabinet members all got evacuated as a safety move. Trump jumped on the chaos to push his long-planned White House ballroom, calling the Hilton way to exposed for big events like this. He laid out how the new spot would pack bulletproof glass and drone-proof systems to handle today's threats head on. Folks are split on it. Supporters like Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry say, the evacuation crews we need that ballroom now, while critics from, Preservation Groups argue it admits with the historic White House vibe and question if it's even necessary. The ballroom plan calls for about 90,000 square feet, funded by $400 million in private

1:04donations, and it's been stuck in, court fights. Just last month on April 17, a federal appeals court greenlit moving forward after a judge paused the above-ground build. The dinner got scrapped and should reschedule in 30 days, but Trump makes it clear evolving dangers mean beefing up security can't wait any longer.