White House upgrades North Portico security

The White House is upgrading security at its main entrance following long-standing recommendations from the US Secret Service, with work expected to continue for several months, a White House official told CNN.

According to sources, the project is aimed at strengthening security at the North Portico entrance.

Scaffolding and protective tarps have recently been erected around the area as crews repair exterior columns at President Donald Trump's request.

Unlike other renovation projects undertaken during Trump's presidency, including the addition of gold decorative elements and paving in the Rose Garden, the current work is intended to enhance security rather than aesthetics, the official said.

While temporary closures around the North Portico during presidential travel are routine, officials said the project is intended to replace the existing network of movable barriers with a permanent security system. The proposed design would provide a comprehensive but adaptable fencing system that could be adjusted to different threat levels while allowing authorities to close nearby roads more efficiently when necessary.

The US Secret Service, the Executive Office of the President and the Department of the Interior have submitted a detailed proposal for the fencing project to the US Commission of Fine Arts.

The proposal, which still requires approval from several federal agencies, envisions a phased rollout beginning as early as 2027.

The additional security measures come after Trump was the target of multiple alleged assassination plots.

According to the report, those included an incident linked to the White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Washington Hilton in April and another alleged plot last month involving a UFC event on the White House South Lawn.

Officials have cited those threats as part of the rationale for the administration's proposed 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom, which they said would include security features such as a drone facility, sniper positions and a secure underground bunker.

A White House official said the North Portico security upgrades are expected to be completed around mid-September.