A national historic preservation group filed a federal lawsuit Friday seeking to halt the Trump administration’s construction of a new White House ballroom, arguing the president lacked the legal authority to demolish the East Wing without required reviews.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block work on the planned 90,000-square-foot addition until federal planning commissions and Congress evaluate the project. The filing represents the first major legal challenge to President Donald Trump’s proposed expansion, which he aims to finish before leaving office in January 2029.
According to the suit, the administration failed to submit construction plans to the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts, both of which must review major federal developments in Washington. The Trust also alleges violations of the National Environmental Policy Act, saying the White House did not conduct an environmental assessment before tearing down the East Wing.
“No president is legally allowed to tear down portions of the White House without any review whatsoever,” the complaint states.
National Trust CEO Carol Quillen said the lawsuit was a “last resort,” arguing the administration has excluded the public from the process.
Trump has repeatedly defended the privately funded $300 million project, and the White House has dismissed criticism as politically driven. (RELATED: Entire East Wing To Be ‘Modernized’ For New White House Ballroom, Administration Says)
At an October donor dinner, Trump recounted advisers assuring him he could act freely: “Sir, this is the White House. You’re the president of the United States; you can do anything you want.”
