The Trump administration is pushing back against an effort by a liberal advocacy group to halt construction on the new White House ballroom, warning in a court filing Monday that delaying work would directly undermine national security.
According to a declaration from the U.S. Secret Service, the project—now in a critical below-grade phase after the White House East Wing was demolished in October—cannot be frozen mid-construction without compromising essential safety measures designed to protect the president.
“Any pause in construction, even temporarily, would leave the contractor’s obligation unfulfilled and hamper the Secret Service’s ability to meet its statutory obligations and protective mission,” the filing states.
The administration’s response comes after the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a Washington-based nonprofit known for its aggressive use of federal preservation laws, sued to stop the project. The group claims additional oversight is needed before construction continues and is targeting officials at the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior in an attempt to force a work stoppage.
The National Trust argues that pausing the project is necessary to avoid what it calls “irreversible changes,” insisting that more public comment and federal review are required. “Inviting comments from the American people signals respect and helps ensure a lasting legacy,” said National Trust president Carol Quillen.
But the White House says those reviews are already forthcoming and that the group’s lawsuit simply threatens to delay a needed upgrade to one of the most important and heavily secured buildings in the world. The administration will soon submit architectural plans to the National Capital Planning Commission and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, satisfying applicable regulatory requirements.
President Trump announced the 90,000-square-foot state ballroom in July as part of his broader modernization efforts for the Executive Mansion. Originally estimated at $200 million, the project is now projected to cost at least $300 million. While supported by some private donors, Trump has emphasized that the expansion is being covered “100% by me and some friends of mine,” underscoring that taxpayer dollars aren’t footing the bill.
