Washington: US President Donald Trump on Sunday cited the shooting incident outside a Washington gala in a Truth Social post to renew his push for a $400 million ballroom project at the White House, saying the episode highlights the need for enhanced security on the grounds.

In his post, Trump said Saturday night’s incident showed why military and law enforcement agencies had long supported the construction of a large, secure ballroom at the White House. He argued the proposed facility would incorporate what he described as the highest level of security measures and claimed it could have prevented the attack.

“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,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that “this event would never have happened” if such a facility had already been in place.

The shooting occurred Saturday evening outside the Washington Hilton hotel, where the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner was taking place. The event, attended by Trump, senior officials and journalists, was briefly disrupted after shots were fired. Secret Service personnel subdued a gunman who attempted to breach security, officials said.

Trump also referred to the incident during a brief press appearance on Saturday night, with several of his political allies later expressing support for the ballroom proposal.

The planned ballroom, estimated to cost $400 million, has been one of Trump’s key second-term infrastructure proposals. The project has drawn criticism from preservation groups and political opponents, who have raised concerns about its scale and the lack of public consultation. Legal challenges are ongoing, and parts of the White House East Wing have already been demolished as preliminary construction work begins.

The Washington Hilton, where the event was held, is also located near the site of the 1981 assassination attempt on former President Ronald Reagan, a detail that has resurfaced amid renewed discussions on security for high-profile political events in Washington.

With agency inputs