Sen. John Fetterman broke with fellow Democrats after the weekend shooting near the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, backing President Donald Trump’s push to build a permanent ballroom at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Fetterman said he was “there front and center” Saturday night when chaos unfolded outside the Washington Hilton, where a gunman allegedly breached security and opened fire, wounding a Secret Service agent.
“After witnessing last night,” Fetterman wrote on X, “drop the TDS [Trump derangement syndrome] and build the White House ballroom.”
He argued the project would allow major events involving senior government officials to be held in a more secure environment.
“We were there front and center,” he wrote. “That venue wasn’t built to accommodate an event with the line of succession for the U.S. government.”
We were there front and center.
That venue wasn’t built to accommodate an event with the line of succession for the U.S. government.
After witnessing last night, drop the TDS and build the White House ballroom for events exactly like these. pic.twitter.com/eeUBnlSe5y
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) April 26, 2026
Authorities say the suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Allen of California, was taken into custody after the incident. Officials have indicated he may have been targeting senior administration figures, though the investigation remains ongoing.
The push for a White House ballroom predates the incident but has taken on new urgency in its aftermath.
The roughly $400 million project is expected to be privately funded, but it has been slowed by a legal challenge from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Following the shooting, the Justice Department escalated its pressure on the group to drop the lawsuit.
“[Y]our lawsuit puts the lives of the president, his family, and his staff at grave risk,” wrote Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate in a letter to opposing counsel, which was shared publicly by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
“Enough is enough,” Shumate continued. “Your client should voluntarily dismiss this frivolous lawsuit today in light of last night’s assassination attempt on President Trump.”
He added that the current venue used for large-scale events presents “extraordinary security challenges,” arguing the attempted attack underscored the need for a more controlled setting.
“As history proves, that venue is demonstrably unsafe for the President of the United States,” Shumate wrote.
More over at Just The News:
Fetterman calls on Democrats to 'drop the TDS and build the White House ballroom' after shooting https://t.co/5u2EetrE7T
— Just the News (@JustTheNews) April 26, 2026
