Lawyers representing the Trump administration, along with historic preservation organizations, are set to appear in court on Tuesday afternoon. Their aim is to temporarily pause President Donald Trump’s initiative to continue the construction of a $300 million ballroom at the site of the now-demolished East Wing.
The National Trust filed a lawsuit late last week, stating, “No president, be it President Trump, President Biden or anyone else, is legally permitted to demolish any portion of the White House without any review,” pointing this out to U.S. District Judge Richard Leon.
The organization claims that the current construction has caused “irreparable harm” to the historical integrity of the White House. They are seeking both a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to halt any further work on the ballroom project until the relevant federal committees can adequately review and approve the plans.
The lawsuit highlights several legal violations, including those pertaining to the Administrative Procedure Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. It argues that moving forward with the ballroom requires approval from Congress, the National Capital Planning Commission, and the Fine Arts Commission, noting that President Trump terminated all six members of the CFA in October, leaving the panel unstaffed.
Concurrently, Justice Department lawyers submitted their own filing on Monday, asserting that Trump possesses the legal authority to implement changes to his presidential residence. They argued, “The President has the statutory authority to change the structure of the official residence, supported by principles of executive power.”
They emphasized Trump’s personal involvement in the project, mentioning his frequent participation in discussions about the design, footprint, and selection of the project’s architect.
Moreover, Trump administration lawyers contend that halting the construction could pose “national security concerns” for the White House, which is an argument anticipated to be reiterated during Tuesday’s hearing. This argument includes a statement from Matthew Quinn, Deputy Secretary of the Secret Service, who indicated that “improvements to the site remain necessary to meet Secret Service safety and security requirements.” He stressed that even a temporary interruption in construction could hinder the contractor’s obligations, negatively affecting the Secret Service’s protective mission.
President Trump initially revealed his plans for the extensive 90,000-square-foot ballroom in July, estimating the cost to be around $200 million. He claimed that the funding would be covered “100% by me and some friends of mine.”
