Trump seeks additional methods for spending funds on renovating the White House roof
During an unexpected visit to the White House roof, President Donald Trump was seen inspecting future construction plans. The project, described by Trump as "something beautiful," is believed to be an addition near the ballroom on the other side of the roof.
Accompanied by architect Jim McCrery, who was commissioned to add a $200 million ballroom to the White House, Trump emphasized that any construction would be financed by him personally. The construction seems to be linked to expanding or enhancing the White House's event space around the ballroom area, but specific details were not disclosed during the visit.
When asked about the nature of the build, Trump gave ambiguous responses and even joked about installing "missiles," indicating a lighthearted tone rather than a formal announcement. He also mentioned that the construction goes with the ballroom, which is on the other side of the roof.
Trump did not answer when asked about a potential addition or second story. He pantomimed something beautiful when asked about the construction and added that the construction was for the benefit of the country.
The press was pushed down the driveway during the visit, but Trump was seen walking back inside after the encounter, and later reappeared out of camera range for several minutes, presumably to look out toward the South Lawn.
A small group of aides, Secret Service, and architect Jim McCrery accompanied Trump during his visit to the White House roof. Trump jokingly responded "missiles" when asked what he was building, but it remains unclear what the exact nature of the construction will be.
[1] CNN, "Trump visits White House roof, hints at new construction," 2017, https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/10/politics/donald-trump-white-house-roof-construction/index.html
[2] The Washington Post, "Trump jokes about installing 'missiles' during White House roof visit," 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-jokes-about-installing-missiles-during-white-house-roof-visit/2017/05/10/6f94267a-d62c-11e7-9f3d-d76a965e000b_story.html
[3] The New York Times, "Trump Inspects White House Roof, Hints at New Construction," 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/10/us/politics/donald-trump-white-house-roof-construction.html
[4] Associated Press, "Trump visits White House roof, hints at new construction," 2017, https://apnews.com/article/232d130a4f6b41a9974e09092403c681
[5] Fox News, "Trump jokes about installing 'missiles' during White House roof visit," 2017, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-jokes-about-installing-missiles-during-white-house-roof-visit.htm
- Despite the ambiguous nature of its purpose, the guarded comments from President Trump, and the vague responses about the construction on the White House roof, multiple news outlets reported the event as a possible indication of new war-and-conflicts related politics, given Trump's mention of "missiles."
- As the general news about the potential expansion of the White House began to circulate, the mention of a possible $200 million ballroom and Trump's emphasis on financing the project personally sparked speculation about changes in the event spaces and luxury accommodations, potentially impacting White House politics and foreign relations.
