Secret White House Bunker Renovation Goes Underway

(MENAFN) The US president has approved the hidden development of a fortified underground complex beneath the White House, alongside a new addition to the East Wing, CNN reported Monday.

Back in 1941, following the Japanese strike on Pearl Harbor that led to America’s entry into World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt discreetly constructed a bomb shelter beneath the White House. Publicly, however, only the East Wing extension was revealed, according to official records.

More than eight decades later, the East Wing is undergoing refurbishment to house President Donald Trump’s new ballroom.

The previous underground structures have been dismantled, with plans to rebuild the bunker kept under strict secrecy.

Insiders told CNN that the subterranean area is likely being modernized with cutting-edge technology to counter evolving security challenges, though specific details remain classified.

Historically, the bunker has served as a hub for vital operations, including the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, the coordination of former President Joe Biden’s clandestine trip to Ukraine, and providing refuge for Vice President Dick Cheney during the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

At a recent National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) session, White House representative Joshua Fisher explained that the new ballroom will enhance practicality, bolster security, and deliver flexible infrastructure for future requirements.

Fisher emphasized that certain elements of the project are “top secret,” clarifying that while above-ground modifications could proceed openly, the concealed underground construction had to be factored in, even though it was not part of the commission’s review process.

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