Fetterman demands Democrats fund Trump ballroom in wake of assassination attempt at Hilton

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has again shocked the radical wing of his party by demanding that Democrats abandon their obstructionism and allow funding for construction of the new White House ballroom.

The call comes after the chaotic assassination attempt on Donald Trump, which occurred Saturday during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, where a gunman breached security at the Washington Hilton Hotel.

Fetterman, who was present at the event, argued that current outside headquartersare incapable of guaranteeing protection for the president, vice president and the rest of the governmental line of succession. The senator used his social networks to send a direct message to his colleagues on the bench, urging them to prioritize national security over political animosity.

"We were there, in the front row. That place was not built to host an event with the line of succession of the U.S. government. After what we witnessed last night, leave the TDS and build the White House ballroom for events exactly like these," Fetterman posted on X.

With the expression "TDS" (Trump Derangement Syndrome or Trump Derangement Syndrome), the senator echoed a term frequently used by the president to describe the irrational opposition of his critics.

Critical vulnerabilities at the Washington Hilton

Security for the event came under intense scrutiny following the capture of Cole Thomas Allen, 31. The suspect managed to gain entry to the Hilton simply by booking a room the day before, thus avoiding the heightened exterior checks implemented on the day of the dinner.

Allen, armed with a shotgun and pistol, scoffed at the logistical failures in a manifesto shared with family members.

"Security at the event is all out, focused on protesters and current arrivals, because apparently no one thought about what happens if someone checks in the day before," the suspect wrote, before attempting to break into the dinner where President Trump and Vice President Vance were in attendance.

Senator Fetterman's post was a response to Joe DePaolo, editor-in-chief of Mediaite, who reinforced the insecurity narrative by reporting that he was able to gain access to the hotel simply by showing a photo of an invitation on his phone.

The vulnerability of the compound was cited by President Trump himself during a press conference following the shooting, defending the need for a fortified space within the White House complex.

"I didn't want to say this, but this is why we have to have all the attributes of what we're planning in the White House. It's actually a bigger room, and it's much more secure. It's drone-proof. It has bulletproof glass. We need the ballroom," the president said.

Legal war against security project

Despite the obvious risks, the 90,000-square-foot ballroom project is stalled in a legal battle. The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit to block the work, claiming it would affect the symmetry and historic appearance of the presidential residence.

Last March 31, federal Judge Richard J. Leon issued a restraining order stopping construction, ruling that the project requires explicit congressional authorization. However, an appeals court allowed work to continue temporarily until early June.

Following Saturday's events, the Department of Justice (DOJ) urged the conservation group to withdraw what it called a "frivolous lawsuit," citing the "extraordinary events" and the real danger to the nation's leaders.