Trump Pushed to Reenter WHCA Dinner After April 25 Shooting, Leavitt Says

Q: What irreversible changes have already been made to the White House to accommodate this massive security project?

The main irreversible change already made is the demolition of the White House East Wing to clear space for the new ballroom and security complex. Court filings and multiple reports say that teardown happened last fall, and judges cited it as part of the permanent architectural and historical harm at issue in the case. Beyond that, substantial construction is already in place. The administration has said the overall project is about 65% complete, with underground work allowed to proceed even during earlier court limits. That underground portion includes security-related facilities such as bunkers, bomb-shelter space, medical facilities and other hardened infrastructure tied to presidential protection. The government has also told the courts that the structure uses heavily reinforced materials designed to resist major blasts, including missile-resistant steel, ballistic and blast-proof glass, and extensive concrete and rebar. Preservation opponents argued that once those elements are installed, they would be extremely difficult or impossible to remove without creating further damage, which is why they warned the project was nearing a fait accompli. So, in practical terms, the irreversible steps already taken are the loss of the original East Wing and the installation of major below-ground and structural security components for the new ballroom complex.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 22

Karoline Leavitt said Trump was "like a caged lion" backstage after the April 25 WHCA Dinner shooting, pressing Secret Service to let him back into the ballroom and saying he would wait until 3 a.m. for the event to resume.
The push came minutes after an armed man, identified as Cole Allen of Torrance, California, allegedly breached security at the Washington Hilton, forcing Trump and Vice President JD Vance out as guests dived under tables.
Leavitt said officials briefly prepared to restart the dinner, but Trump instead returned to the White House and held a late-night news conference with senior administration officials to recount the attack.
The shooting later fueled Trump's renewed call for a White House ballroom for more secure official events, and the correspondents' dinner was ultimately rescheduled and held in July at the Waldorf Astoria.