The White House Situation Room the highsecurity complex beneath the West Wing where presidents watch history unfold and receive topsecret intelligence has undergone a muchneeded makeover for the first time in years . The yearlong gut renovation saw the ground dug out five feet to remove concrete and cables the walls stripped to the studs and the entire room refitted with enhanced security and technology . The Situation Room complex features three boardrooms of graduating size two breakout rooms for Cabinet secretaries to phone their agencies and a command center known as the Watch Floor where a dozen staffers watch intelligence and media feeds from around the world . Vice President Joe Biden cut the ribbon to christen the new facility on Tuesday . Biden tracked the withdrawal from Afghanistan including learning of the death of service members outside of an airport gate in Kabul . Biden also appeared unannounced in the Situation Room to join aides as Russia invaded Ukraine in late February Gustafson said . Its where aides briefed President Donald Trump on intelligence related to the coronavirus in early February . A phone booth used by the president was also removed and placed in storage for preservation purposes . The original room was removed entirely and fashioned into two cubbysized breakout rooms and will be rebuilt in Obamas Presidential Library . During the renovation that room was taken in storage and placed into storage for . preservation purposes. The original Situation Room is not in use but has not been in use for months. The Situation Rooms will be dismantled . The new room will be replaced by a phone booth was removed and put in storage . The old room is not used for preservation for preservation. The old phone booth will be taken away . The room will also be removed and . placed in . storage for protection for preservation . for preservation reasons. During the renovations. during the renovation
White House completes $50 million revamp of high-security Situation Room . White House
