Trump Turns Deadly White House Shooting Into Another Sales Pitch for His Vanity Project. Truth Is He Has No Clue How Bulletproof Glass Works
Here we go again.
Donald Trump is using this weekend’s deadly shooting outside the White House to push his controversial $400 million ballroom project, claiming it’s the only way to keep future presidents safe. Hours after Secret Service agents killed the gunman, Trump took to Truth Social to frame the attack as proof his luxury venue is a national security necessity. However, weeks ago, he admitted he has no idea how the bulletproof glass in his own project actually works.
According to Us Weekly, the latest shooting unfolded at around 6 p.m. on May 23, 2026, when 21-year-old suspect Nasire Best pulled a weapon from his bag and opened fire near a Secret Service checkpoint at 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Agents returned fire, killing the gunman, but not before a bystander was struck and hospitalized in critical condition.
Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi confirmed no agents were injured. The president was inside the White House at the time, completely unaffected by the chaos.
Trump wasted no time spinning the tragedy into a sales pitch
On Truth Social, he wrote, “This event is one month removed from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, and goes to show how important it is, for all future Presidents, to get, what will be, the most safe and secure space of its kind ever built in Washington, D.C. The National Security of our Country demands it!”
He had doubled down on this narrative during a Rose Garden Club dinner on May 11, 2026, calling the ballroom “the most beautiful” in the world and insisting it would be “very safe.” Then, in a moment that made engineers everywhere cringe, he added, “You look through it, and you can see as perfectly as though it weren’t there. Now how’d they do that? I don’t know, but it’s at the highest level of safety.”
The ballroom, which Trump originally promised would cost $200 million but has since ballooned to $400 million, is shaping up to be one of the most expensive vanity projects in White House history. Despite his earlier claims that taxpayers wouldn’t foot the bill, Trump and Senate Republicans have since proposed allocating $1 billion in public funds to cover the costs.
The project has faced relentless criticism from Democrats and security experts alike. They argue the money would be better spent on actual protective measures rather than a lavish event space.
The May 23 shooter had a long history of run-ins with law enforcement
The suspected May 23 shooter Nasire Best, had a long history of mental health issues and run-ins with law enforcement. CNN reported that Best was previously arrested while claiming to be Jesus and was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital after obstructing vehicle access near the White House in July 2025.
On social media, he allegedly wrote, “I’m actually the son of God.” Court documents from 2025 also revealed that Best was “known to the Secret Service” for repeatedly trying to access restricted areas around the White House. Despite these red flags, he was still able to get close enough to open fire on Saturday.
This isn’t the first time gun violence has erupted near high-profile Washington events. Less than a month earlier, during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, gunfire broke out in the lobby of the Washington Hilton where Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Vice President J.D. Vance were in attendance. A Secret Service agent was struck in his protective vest and hospitalized, while the suspect,
Cole Tomas Allen, was later charged with attempting to assassinate the president. Allen pleaded not guilty earlier this month.
The latest shooting even sent reporters scrambling for cover
Many reporters were affected by the May 23 incident. ABC News White House correspondent Selina Wang was recording a social video on the North Lawn when the gunfire erupted. “It sounded like dozens of gunshots,” she wrote on X. “We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now.” Reporters were locked down for about 40 minutes before being allowed to leave.
Trump’s attempt to tie the shooting to his ballroom project has fueled criticism that he’s exploiting a tragedy for personal gain. The ballroom, which he’s repeatedly described as a security necessity, is still in the early stages, with no concrete timeline for construction. Meanwhile, security experts say the White House already has multiple secure locations for events, including the East Room and State Dining Room, far more fortified than any ballroom.
The president’s insistence that his project is the only solution to White House security is hard to take seriously, especially when he openly admitted he doesn’t understand the technology behind it. His comment about bulletproof glass, “You look through it, and you can see as perfectly as though it weren’t there. Now how’d they do that? I don’t know,” suggests he’s more interested in the aesthetics than the actual security features.
Security around the White House has always been a top priority, but the recent shootings have exposed vulnerabilities that a ballroom won’t fix. If anything, the incident highlights the need for better threat assessment and intervention, not a $400 million event space.
(Featured image: http://www.presidencia.gob.ec/)
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