White House proposes new underground visitor screening facility

March 15, 2026

TL;DR

The Trump administration is proposing an underground visitor screening facility for the White House.
The facility would be approximately 33,000 square feet and located in Sherman Park, southeast of the White House.
Plans developed by the Executive Office of the President, Secret Service, Interior Department, and National Park Service.
Construction could start in fall 2026 and finish by July 2028.
The new facility will allow visitors to queue in multiple lanes for ID checks and proceed to a new lobby and checkpoint.
This replaces the current system of visitors queuing in parks and going through security in temporary trailers and tents.
The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) will consider the plans, which include mitigating impacts on historic sites and maintaining park access.
The statue of General William Tecumseh Sherman will remain, with landscape restoration planned.
Costs and funding sources for the project have not been provided.
The project follows other recent construction projects and proposals in Washington D.C., which have faced backlash.

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