The National Trust for Historic Preservation has confirmed it will not drop its lawsuit against the Trump administration over the construction of a $400 million White House ballroom, despite pressure from the Department of Justice. The lawsuit, filed in December, challenges the demolition of the East Wing to make way for the new addition.
Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate had urged the trust to dismiss the case by Monday, citing the recent shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner as evidence of the need for a secure venue. In a letter, Shumate argued that a White House ballroom would prevent future assassination attempts by providing a safer alternative to the Washington Hilton.
However, Carol Quillen, president of the trust, stated: 'We are not planning to voluntarily dismiss our lawsuit, which endangers no one and which respectfully asks the Administration to follow the law.' She acknowledged the need for a larger meeting space but insisted that building it lawfully requires congressional approval, which the administration could seek at any time.
President Donald Trump has used the shooting to rally support for the ballroom, claiming it would have prevented the incident. In a Truth Social post, he said: 'This event would never have happened with the Militarily Top Secret Ballroom currently under construction at the White House.' He described the project as having 'every highest level security feature' and being 'inside the gates of the most secure building in the World.'
Republican Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan and Democratic Sen. John Fetterman have both voiced support for the ballroom on security grounds. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also defended the project, calling it 'critical for our national security' and stressing the need for a secure venue to accommodate the line of succession.
