Trump Administration Releases $1 Billion Plan for White House Ballroom Security Upgrades

Trump Administration Unveils $1 Billion Spending Plan for White House Ballroom Security

The Trump administration has released a line-by-line spending plan detailing how it intends to allocate $1 billion in taxpayer funds for security upgrades at the White House ballroom, Axios reported.

During a meeting with Senate Republicans on Tuesday, Secret Service Director Sean Curran provided a detailed outline of how the agency plans to use the funds. The $1 billion request was made by Republicans to implement "security adjustments and upgrades," including those tied to the construction of the ballroom.

Breakdown of the $1 Billion Security Funding Request

The White House has requested the following allocations as part of the spending plan:

• $220 million for hardening security at the White House, including:
  • Bulletproof glass
  • Drone detection technologies
  • Chemical and other threat filtration and detection systems
• $180 million for a new visitor screening facility
• $100 million for security at high-profile events, likely held at Trump’s venue
• $500 million to bolster the Secret Service, including:
  • $175 million for training in the "modern threat environment"
  • $175 million to improve security for protectees
  • $150 million for investments in state-of-the-art technologies to address:
    • Country drones
    • Airspace incursions
    • Unmanned systems
    • Biological threats
    • Emerging threats

Context and Background

The $1 billion request is part of a larger $72 billion package proposed to fund agencies under the Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE and Border Patrol. The Secret Service was already allocated $3.5 billion in its FY 2026 budget, representing a $192 million increase from the 2025 budget.

Note: The original budget for Trump’s ballroom was pitched at $200 million, which is less than the $220 million now allocated just for security hardening. The funding for the ballroom was initially expected to come from private donors—many of whom held substantial government contracts—but will now be covered by taxpayer dollars.

Republican Request for 'East Wing Modernization Project'

The Republican request specified that the funds could be used for "above-ground and below-ground security features" as part of Trump’s so-called "East Wing Modernization Project."