National Trust files lawsuit to block Trump's $300M White House ballroom project

WASHINGTON, DC: The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a federal lawsuit on Friday, December 12, attempting to halt the construction of President Donald Trump's massive new ballroom on the White House grounds.

The legal complaint, lodged in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, names President Trump, the National Parks Service, and several administration officials as defendants.

The lawsuit alleges that the fast-expanding project is unlawful because it has bypassed legally mandated review processes.

"No president is legally allowed to tear down portions of the White House without any review whatsoever - not President Trump, not President Biden, and not anyone else," the lawsuit states.

"And no president is legally allowed to construct a ballroom on public property without giving the public the opportunity to weigh in."

Project size balloons to $300 million

The scope of the project has grown significantly since initial plans were floated in July.

The proposed ballroom now covers 90,000 square feet - nearly double the size of the 55,000-square-foot White House residence itself - and carries a price tag of $300 million.

It is expected to accommodate about 1,000 people, up from the original capacity of 650.

Carol Quillen, the National Trust’s CEO, argued that the sheer scale of the addition "will overwhelm the White House itself."

"(The addition) may also permanently disrupt the carefully balanced classical design of the White House with its two smaller, and lower, East and West Wings," Quillen warned.

White House claims 'full legal authority'

The Trump administration immediately rejected the premise of the lawsuit.

"President Trump has full legal authority to modernize, renovate, and beautify the White House – just like all of his predecessors did," White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement.

The administration disputes the claim that construction has already begun, which would trigger different legal requirements.

Ingle clarified that the sound of pile-drivers - which President Trump recently noted had irritated first lady Melania Trump - was related to the ongoing demolition of the East Wing, not the construction of the new facility.

Battle over oversight

The legal fight centers on the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. While the act typically exempts the White House from certain reviews, preservationists argue that new construction on public land falls under the jurisdiction of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC).

Will Scharf, the Trump-appointed chairman of the NCPC, stated earlier this month that the White House intends to submit plans for review in December.

However, the commission was not consulted before the East Wing was demolished in October, a move that drew sharp criticism from former first ladies Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama.

"Inviting comments from the American people signals respect and helps ensure a lasting legacy that befits a government of the people," Quillen added.