Ever the developer-in-chief, President Donald Trump made a surprise appearance on the White House roof above the briefing room in an apparent effort to inspect future construction.
The press, which had been pushed significantly down the driveway, attempted to figure out what was going on.
“Mr. President, what are you doing up there?”
“Just taking a little walk,” he shouted back.
President Donald Trump gestures to the media from the roof of the West Wing at the White House in Washington, Aug. 5, 2025.
Samuel Corum/Pool/EPA/Shutterstock
“What are you building?”
“It goes with the ballroom, which is on the other side,” he said.
Pressed again by reporters, Trump said “Something beautiful,” while pantomiming with his hands.
Trump said it was “Just more ways to spend my money,” adding “Just more ways to spend my money for the country.”
“Anything I do is financed by me,” he stressed.
President Donald Trump shouts answers to questions from reporters as he tours the roof of the West Wing of the White House, August 5, 2025 in Washington.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Asked if he was considering an addition or a second story, Trump wouldn’t say.
The president was accompanied by a small group of aides and Secret Service. The group included architect Jim McCrery, who has been commissioned to add Trump’s ballroom to the White House. The two men appeared engaged in intense conversation as they surveyed the grounds with lots of animated pointing.
Trump then went out of camera range for several minutes, presumably to look out toward the South Lawn.
President Donald Trump walks on the roof of the West Wing at the White House in Washington, Aug. 5, 2025.
Samuel Corum/Pool/EPA/Shutterstock
When he returned, reporters again tried to get more information.
“What are you trying to build?” one reporter shouted.
“Missiles,” Trump responded, presumably joking. “Nuclear missiles,” he repeated while making the gesture of a rocket launching.
Trump then ignored a question on Gaza and walked back inside.
