National Trust Files Federal Lawsuit to Halt Construction of Trump's $300 Million White House Ballroom
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has filed a federal lawsuit in Washington, DC aimed at stopping construction of former President Donald Trump's $300 million White House ballroom. The suit demands federal oversight and compliance with relevant environmental and historic preservation laws.
Plaintiffs allege that Trump demolished the East Wing of the White House complex without the required federal reviews or congressional approval. According to the lawsuit, these actions violate the National Capital Planning Act, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Constitution's property clause. The case seeks a temporary restraining order to freeze current construction activities until proper oversight procedures are completed. Defendants named include Trump and several officials from his administration.
This legal challenge follows an earlier emergency motion by Charles and Judith Voorhees to halt the project, which was dismissed in October. The planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom is part of the White House complex expansion and is funded by wealthy donors and corporations holding federal contracts, such as Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, Lockheed Martin, and Palantir; some contributors remain anonymous.
Officials involved in the project argue that on-site construction activities are distinct from demolition and site preparation, claiming the former does not require the same federal reviews. However, the National Trust contends that this distinction is invalid given the visible nature of work on the site.
Public sentiment largely opposes the project. A Washington Post-ABC poll found that 56% of respondents disapprove of tearing down the East Wing, while a Yahoo News-YouGov poll indicated 61% disapproval, with 46% strongly opposing the project.
