The U.S. military is constructing a large underground complex beneath the planned White House East Wing ballroom, President Donald Trump disclosed, offering new details about a $400 million renovation project that has drawn criticism from lawmakers, historians, and preservation advocates.

Trump made the disclosure while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, displaying a rendering of the new building and describing security features including bulletproof glass and a drone-proof roof.

“The military is building a massive complex under the ballroom, and that’s under construction,” Trump said. “The ballroom essentially becomes a shed for what’s being built under — including from drones and including from any other thing.”

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed the construction Monday without elaborating. “The military is making some upgrades to their facilities here at the White House, and I’m not privy to provide any more details on that,” she said at a press briefing.

The 90,000-square-foot ballroom is slated to replace the East Wing, which Trump ordered demolished last October. The original structure housed the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, an underground bunker designed for use during national emergencies. Trump has argued the new facility is a necessary upgrade to what he has called the cramped and outdated reception spaces at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, saying the ballroom will accommodate up to 1,000 guests.

Trump said the underground complex became public partly because of litigation. “This has come out recently because of a stupid lawsuit that was filed,” he said.

Critics have objected to the demolition on multiple grounds, citing the administration’s decision to raze the historic structure without federal reviews or public comment, as well as concerns about the scale and aesthetics of the replacement. The National Capital Planning Commission, one of two federal bodies required to approve the project, has a vote on the changes scheduled for Thursday.

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