President Donald Trump is facing a lawsuit from a historic preservation group that aims to stop the construction of a new ballroom at the White House.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit on Friday, claiming that the Trump administration failed to carry out required reviews or obtain congressional approval before demolishing the East Wing of the White House.
The complaint emphasizes, “No president, whether Trump, Biden, or anyone else, can legally demolish any part of the White House without proper vetting. Building a ballroom on public land without consulting the public is also not allowed.”
Attorneys for the nonprofit organization stated that work on the 90,000-square-foot ballroom should be halted immediately until all necessary reviews are completed.
White House Press Secretary Davis Engle responded that President Trump has the legal authority to modernize and enhance the White House, similar to actions taken by his predecessors. He noted that construction on the ballroom started in October, which resulted in the demolition of the historically significant East Wing. The project, privately funded, now has an estimated cost of $300 million, up from $200 million when initially announced in July.
The lawsuit alleges that the Trump administration failed to present demolition plans to relevant federal bodies, including the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission on Fine Arts, before work commenced, which they argue deprived the public of vital information.
Additionally, the National Trust asserts that the project violates multiple federal laws, including the Administrative Procedure Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. They argue that Trump bypassed constitutional requirements, stating, “The President has no constitutional authority to unilaterally build or demolish anything on federal property.”
The National Trust is seeking a federal court order to prevent the Trump administration from continuing with the ballroom construction until the necessary federal reviews and congressional approvals are obtained.
Plans for the new banquet hall are expected to be submitted to the Federal Planning Commission by the end of the year.
