Trump Defends $400 Million White House Ballroom as Courts and Congress Stall Construction
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · May 26
Trump Defends $400 Million White House Ballroom as Courts and Congress Stall Construction
10 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · May 26
Trump on Monday posted a Justice Department filing urging a judge to lift an order that could halt White House ballroom construction, arguing recent shootings show the project is needed for secure presidential events.
The 90,000-square-foot ballroom has already cleared the East Wing site and won approvals from reshaped federal bodies, but Judge Richard Leon twice paused aboveground work pending congressional authorization; an appeals panel hears the case June 5.
Congress has also blocked key support: the Senate parliamentarian ruled $1 billion in Secret Service priorities could not ride in an immigration bill, and some Republican senators say there are not enough votes for the project.
Trump has escalated attacks on opponents including Leon, the parliamentarian and preservation advocate Alison Hoagland, while critics say the case reflects a broader effort to bypass constitutional and oversight limits.
Public opinion remains negative: 56% opposed the ballroom in a Post-ABC-Ipsos poll last month, versus 28% support, as similar Trump-led Washington building projects face lawsuits and cost concerns.
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