In a new defense of President Donald Trump’s $300,000 White House ballroom, the Trump administration told a federal judge that its construction is tied to national security.
It comes as the administration is pushing back against a new lawsuit seeking to halt the construction, citing preservation and oversight concerns.
Last Friday, the National Trust for Historic Preservation asked a federal judge to halt the project, requiring it to go through multiple independent reviews, a public comment period, and receive approval from Congress.
Highlights
- The Trump administration argues the $300K White House ballroom construction is vital for national security despite a pending lawsuit.
- The ballroom project began without approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, bypassing crucial government reviews.
- Trump fired all six U.S. Commission of Fine Arts members who oversee major Washington construction and design projects.
The White House said the construction of the ballroom is necessary for national security
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The construction of the ballroom began without approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, which has jurisdiction over construction and major renovations to government buildings in Washington, D.C. It included tearing down the East Wing, despite the lack of a sign-off from the commission.
Trump has since fired all six members of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), an independent federal agency reviewing major construction and design projects in Washington.
The White House’s argument was filed Monday, providing perhaps the most detailed public justification yet for the project, which already foresaw the demolition of the East Wing of the White House despite Trump’s assurances that it would not affect the original building.
The filing was 36-pages and included a declaration from the deputy director of the U.S. Secret Service, Matthew C. Quinn. Quinn said more work on the site was needed to meet the agency’s “safety and security requirements.”
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He added that even a temporary stay would “consequently hamper” the Secret Service’s ability to fulfill its statutory obligations.
The East Wing originally sat on top of an emergency operations bunker for the president.
However, the filing did not explain what the specific national security concerns were, citing that they were classified. The Trump administration offered to share the details with the judge in a private, in-person setting.
The filings also claim that plans for the ballroom have yet to be finalized, despite the demolition and preparation for the work. John Stanwich, the National Park Service’s liaison to the White House, said the foundation work of the ballroom is expected to begin in January.
Above-ground construction is not anticipated before April 2026.
The news comes after the National Trust for Historic Preservation asked a federal judge to halt the construction
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“No president is legally allowed to tear down portions of the White House without any review whatsoever — not President Trump, not President Biden, and not anyone else,” the lawsuit by the National Trust for Historic Preservation states. “And no president is legally allowed to construct a ballroom on public property without giving the public the opportunity to weigh in.”
“Trump's ballroom is not a national security priority. His vanity project is only a distraction from resolving global crises in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, Afghanistan, and the list goes on,” Congresswoman Julie Johnson wrote on X.
Johnson sits on the House Foreign Relations Committee.
Last month, the White House confirmed that a second architectural firm has been added to Trump’s $300 million ballroom project. The Washington Post first reported that Architect Shalom Baranes of Washington, D.C., was added as construction moves into a new phase.
The BBC reported the move came after Trump had a falling out with the previous architect, James McCrery, over the scope of the ballroom. McCrery, who will remain as a consultant, was allegedly concerned that the 90,000 sq ft structure would overshadow the rest of the White House.
A hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday in federal court in Washington.