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The Guardian World1 min read
DoJ pressures group to drop lawsuit against Trump’s ballroom after gala shooting
TL;DR
The US Department of Justice is pressuring a preservation group to drop its lawsuit against the construction of Donald Trump's White House ballroom, citing safety concerns after a recent shooting. The DOJ labeled the lawsuit as frivolous and warned of consequences if it is not withdrawn.
Key points
- DOJ pressures preservation group to drop lawsuit against Trump's ballroom
- Shooting incident used to argue for ballroom's safety necessity
- Construction of the ballroom estimated at $400 million
- DOJ labeled the lawsuit as frivolous and a safety risk
- Consequences threatened if the lawsuit is not withdrawn
Mentioned in this story
Department of JusticeDonald TrumpNational Trust for Historic Preservation
The US Department of J (DoJ) has used the weekend shooting in Washington DC to pressure a preservation group to drop a lawsuit seeking to halt the construction of Donald Trump’s White House ballroom.
Several Trump administration officials, including the president, seized on the incident at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner to advance their case for the completion of the controversial $400m project, for which the White House’s East Wing was suddenly demolished, arguing the new ballroom was needed as a “safe space”.
On Sunday night, Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, posted on social media a letter to lawyers representing the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) calling the trust’s lawsuit “frivolous”. It demanded that the organization voluntarily withdraw it or face a new dismissal motion from the Department of Justice (DoJ).
“Put simply, your lawsuit puts the lives of the President, his family, and staff at grave risk,” the letter, signed by Brett Shumate, assistant attorney general of the justice department’s civil division, said.
“I hope yesterday’s narrow miss will help you finally realize the folly of a lawsuit that literally serves no purpose except to stop President Trump no matter the cost.”
Shumate said the White House ballroom was “essential for the safety of the president, his family, his cabinet, and his staff”, claiming that the Washington Hilton where Saturday’s shooting occurred was currently the only ballroom in the capital large enough to host such large gatherings, and was “demonstrably unsafe”.
The letter echoed a claim posted by Trump on his Truth Social network on Sunday in which the president insisted that security agencies and “every President for the last 150 years, have been demanding that a large, safe, and secure ballroom be built on the grounds of the White House”.
“It’s time to build the ballroom,” Blanche wrote on X in his repost of Shumate’s letter.
Trump’s pursuit of a new ballroom on the site of the former East Wing of the White House, which he , has followed a rocky legal path in recent weeks.
Q&A
What prompted the DOJ to pressure the preservation group regarding Trump's ballroom?
The DOJ's pressure followed a shooting incident during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, which they used to argue for the ballroom's construction as a necessary safety measure.
How much is the construction of Trump's White House ballroom estimated to cost?
The construction of the ballroom is estimated to cost $400 million.
What did the DOJ say about the lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation?
The DOJ described the lawsuit as frivolous and claimed it jeopardizes the safety of the President and his family.
What could happen if the preservation group does not withdraw its lawsuit?
If the preservation group does not withdraw the lawsuit, the DOJ indicated it would file a motion to dismiss the case.
