President Donald Trump shared two AI-generated images on Truth Social over the weekend depicting a proposed "DronePort" atop the planned White House ballroom. The images show military drones, soldiers, and fuel trucks on the rooftop, with one featuring fireworks behind the Washington Monument and another showing the monument under construction. Both images bear the official White House seal. Trump described the project as "perhaps the most sophisticated anywhere in the World," claiming it would "safeguard our Nation's Capital."
The mockups coincide with a broader dispute over funding for the East Wing project, which includes a roof designed to conceal a "counteroffensive drone port and rocket launchers," bulletproof glass, and a hardened underground bunker. The ballroom itself is funded by private donors, including Apple, Meta, and Amazon, though White House officials have expressed discomfort with private companies underwriting security infrastructure. The administration is seeking $1 billion in congressional approval for the security enhancements, but the funding push has stalled. Senate Republicans attempted to include the funding in an immigration enforcement bill, but the parliamentarian ruled against the move. Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana stated that the votes simply aren't there.
Trump has criticized U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, a George W. Bush appointee, for halting above-ground work on the ballroom unless Congress authorizes it. In a Truth Social post, Trump accused Leon of "playing games with America's Security" and warned that the judge would be "held responsible" if an attack occurred. The Justice Department has urged Leon to lift the injunction, arguing that the project is necessary for national security.