National Trust Blasts Trump Ballroom Defense Over 4,000-Person UFC Plot
Updated
Updated · AlterNet · Jun 21
National Trust Blasts Trump Ballroom Defense Over 4,000-Person UFC Plot
2 articles · Updated · AlterNet · Jun 21
Summary
A preservation watchdog said the Trump administration wrongly used a foiled attack plot tied to last Sunday’s White House UFC event to justify a new ballroom, arguing the security claim does not support the project.
The National Trust said the 4,000-attendee event would not have fit inside the proposed ballroom anyway, and noted authorities had detected and disrupted the alleged plot four days before the event.
Its court filing said an injunction blocking above-ground ballroom construction did not restrict Secret Service or other law-enforcement security options, pointing to attendance by Trump, Vice President and Speaker Mike Johnson.
The filing argued Supreme Court precedent bars a president from bypassing Congress over federal property, saying Trump must seek congressional authorization if he believes security needs require a ballroom.
The dispute follows earlier Trump claims that security risks, including after an alleged threat around the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, showed the need for the roughly 1,000-seat ballroom.
Are there more cost-effective security solutions for events, rather than permanently altering a national historic landmark with a new ballroom?
How does the judiciary balance a president's national security claims against Congress's authority over federal property and historic preservation laws?