Trump administration files emergency motion to restart social gatherings
A judge’s order halting construction on the White House ballroom poses a national security risk, the Trump administration argued in an emergency motion seeking to overturn the ruling.
A federal judge has again issued an order halting construction on President Donald Trump’s $400 million White House Ballroom until “the express authorization of Congress” is received, ruling that the administration’s attempt to circumvent a previous ruling was “incredible, if not disingenuous.”
An earlier ruling by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon on March 31 to halt construction excluded “measures absolutely necessary to ensure the safety and security of the White House and its grounds.”
In an April 3 motion, the Trump administration argued that construction of the entire banquet hall must proceed or the Executive Mansion would “remain open,” resulting in “significant national security harm” to the building, the president, his family, and staff.
In his April 16 ruling, Leon sought to clarify the earlier injunction.
“Defendants are now attempting to overturn this exception, falsely claiming that the entire ballroom project may proceed,” Leon wrote. “Defendants claim that the entire ballroom construction project, from top to bottom, falls within the safety and security exception and can proceed unabated. That is neither reasonable nor a correct interpretation of my order!”
Trump accused Leon of being a “Trump hater” who “goes out of his way to undermine national security and prevent this great gift to America from being delayed or built.”
President Trump also listed the facilities that will be part of the project: “Air raid shelters, state-of-the-art hospitals and medical facilities, protected compartments, top-secret military facilities, structures and equipment, protective missile-resistant steel, columns, roofs, beams, drone-proof ceilings and roofs, military-grade vents, bulletproof, bulletproof and explosion-proof glass.”
The fact that the project would include a “state-of-the-art hospital” was not previously disclosed. The White House did not immediately respond to questions about the hospital’s location or whether it would be above ground or underground.
The ruling comes after the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed an amended lawsuit last month against President Trump and several federal agencies seeking to halt construction of the 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The nonprofit group argued that Trump should have sought permission from Congress before demolishing the East Building.
Leon also clarified that the scope of the injunction applies only to “the above-ground construction of the planned banquet hall.”
“It does not stop the underground construction of national security facilities, the work necessary to ensure the safety of the president, the construction necessary to protect and secure the White House and the construction site itself,” he said.
Two days before the March 31 ruling, President Trump said a key part of the ballroom being built for the White House is a “large military complex” in its basement that should be kept secret. He accused the lawsuit of revealing secrets.
