Trump claims gala shooting gives urgency to White House ballroom plan

Key Points:

• Following a shooting incident at the Washington Hilton hotel during the White House Correspondents Association dinner, President Donald Trump emphasized the urgency of constructing a 1,000-seat ballroom at the White House, citing security concerns.
• Trump argued that the ongoing $400 million ballroom project, which began without full legal approval and has faced controversy, would prevent incidents like the shooting due to its advanced security features, including being drone-proof and bulletproof.
• The president, who has survived two assassination attempts during his 2024 campaign, described the incident as traumatic but stated it would not change how he lives his life, praising the press for their responsible coverage of the event.
• Trump, who had planned a controversial speech for the dinner, instead thanked journalists and suggested future speeches might differ, while calling for lawsuits against the ballroom construction to be dropped immediately.
• The ballroom project, which involves demolishing the White House's east wing, has garnered some bipartisan support, including from Democrat Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.