Rick Scott

Senator Rick Scott of Florida is among several Republicans opposing the use of taxpayer dollars for the new White House ballroom, even as he backs the project itself.

He told Newsweek in an email Tuesday: “We don’t need tax dollars for it because the project is already paid for with private funds. Let’s get this done—no one can argue there isn’t a critical, immediate need.”

His comments came after Saturday night’s shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner sparked calls for increased security and prompted several Republicans to introduce legislation that would help fund the White House ballroom project.

What To Know

The shooting at the Washington Hilton reignited a political and legal fight over the stalled project, as the Trump administration has pointed to the attack as evidence of the necessity of a secure ballroom.

A suspect identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen breached security and opened fire, forcing the Secret Service to evacuate President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and members of his Cabinet from a floor below. The president was expected to deliver remarks at the dinner.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday morning, Trump wrote: "What happened last night is exactly the reason that our great Military, Secret Service, Law Enforcement and, for different reasons, every President for the last 150 years, have been DEMANDING that a large, safe, and secure Ballroom be built ON THE GROUNDS OF THE WHITE HOUSE. This event would never have happened with the Militarily Top Secret Ballroom currently under construction at the White House."

Construction of the $400 million ballroom that began in September 2025 involved the demolition of the White House's East Wing. The ballroom's final design recently received approval from the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), but the National Trust for Historic Preservation is suing to block construction. The administration was granted a temporarily win in the legal battle after a U.S. appeals court paused a Washington judge’s order halting the ​construction in mid-April.

According to administration officials, the project is being funded entirely through private donations from individuals and corporations, not taxpayer money.

Republican Senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Katie Britt of Alabama and Eric Schmitt of Missouri introduced the White House Safety and Security Act of 2026 this week to provide funding for the project. The bill says the Treasury Department should appropriate $400 million for the “design, construction, and other appropriate expenses to complete the East Wing Modernization Project, including a secure State Ballroom and visitor screening facility and any other related national security facility.”

In a press release sent to Newsweek, Graham announced the bill, saying: “Our legislation is much bigger than simply renovating a venue for large gatherings. Rather, it represents a necessary measure to keep our Commander in Chief—whoever that may be—safe and protected.”

In the aftermath of Saturday night's shooting, support for the ballroom from Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has bolstered Republican efforts. Trump told reporters on Saturday night shortly after the shooting that the new ballroom is "drone-proof. It’s bulletproof glass. We need the ballroom."

Scott agrees that Saturday's shooting emphasizes the need for the ballroom, just not on how it should be funded.

“We need the ballroom and Democrats need to get over their Trump Derangement Syndrome and stop holding it up,” Scott told Newsweek.

He said taxpayer dollars are not needed because private funding has already been secured for the project, putting him at odds with some Republican colleagues who have pushed for public funding.

Shortly after the shooting, Scott reiterated his position, telling NBC News: “We have $39 trillion of debt. Maybe we ought to stop spending money.”

In a lengthy X thread, Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky outlined a similar stance, emphasizing that he supports the new ballroom but does not believe it should be publicly funded.

“I’m introducing a bill to keep the Ballroom Project privately funded, fully transparent with Congress, and at NO COST to taxpayers,” he said on Tuesday.

“This is the responsible path toward supporting President Trump’s vision, protecting national security, reassuring taxpayers, maintaining congressional oversight, and getting the job done. Proud to help move the East Wing Modernization Project forward.”

Ballroom and Bunker Vision

The administration has painted the 90,000-square-foot, light-filled ballroom as a secure event space to host up to 1,000 high-profile guests, while the "massive" underground complex would be the U.S. military's domain.

That site would act like emergency bunkers dotted around the country, including the Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center in Virginia, which has been referred to as a "Doomsday" facility.

Trump has said the underground site would be furnished with bomb shelters, high-tech medical facilities, top-of-the-range communications systems and protection against bioweapons. He has also said that the bunker would have missile-resistant steel, ceilings impervious to drone attack and blast-proof glass.

The ballroom, Trump has said, "essentially becomes a shed" for the bunker. Without both, according to the president, no future leader will ever be safe in America's most recognizable building.

What Happens Next

Paul is expected to introduce his bill on Wednesday. The White House has said the ballroom will be completed by the time Trump's second term ends in January 2029.