Incident sparks renewed security debate
US President Donald Trump has said that a recent White House incident outside a high-profile event underscores the need for a new, fully secured ballroom currently under construction at the White House.
The remarks were posted on Truth Social following an incident involving an armed suspect near a venue hosting senior government officials and journalists.
“Highly secure” facility under construction
Trump stated that the planned ballroom would feature “top-level security capabilities” and would be located within the inner perimeter of the White House, ensuring that “unscreened individuals” would not be allowed access.
He argued that the type of incident reported would not have occurred if the facility had already been completed, describing it as essential for long-term safety.
Addressing legal efforts to halt construction, Trump called for the lawsuits to be withdrawn, insisting that the project remains within budget and ahead of schedule.
He emphasised that “nothing should interfere” with its completion, reinforcing its importance for security planning at the White House.
Weapons legally purchased
According to a law enforcement official, the suspect involved in the incident had legally purchased two firearms in 2023 and 2025. Authorities said he had not previously come to the attention of security services.
As part of standard procedure, names of attendees were checked against government databases prior to the event, with no alerts raised.
US Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told CNN that the suspect “managed to fire several shots” before being immediately subdued by security forces. He added that the individual “barely made it past the outer security perimeter.”
A Secret Service officer was injured in the chest but was wearing a bulletproof vest and later spoke with the President.
Blanche rejected claims that the incident represented a security failure, instead describing it as evidence of an effective protective system.
He said the objective is not to prevent every possible incident but to ensure a “safe and secure environment,” adding that Secret Service personnel “did their job.”
Source: CNA
Also read: White House ballroom halted by judge
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel
