Group says it won’t drop its White House ballroom lawsuit, despite DOJ pressure
The National Trust for Historic Preservation said Monday it will not drop its lawsuit to stop construction of President Donald Trump’s ballroom at the White House, despite a request from the Justice Department.
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“We do not plan to voluntarily dismiss our lawsuit, which puts no one at risk and respectfully calls on the administration to follow the law,” Carol Quillen, director of the trust, said in a statement.
The trust’s statement comes a day after the Justice Department wrote a letter urging the group to drop the lawsuit, arguing that “the lawsuit seriously endangers the lives of the President, his family, and his staff.”
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, spoke about the ballroom project during her press briefing Monday, arguing that it must be completed.
“The White House ballroom project is not just a fun project for President Trump, as you will read in the media,” Leavitt said. “It is actually critical to our national security that a larger, secure building on this complex – which is the most secure complex in the world – be built to accommodate not only large numbers of guests, but also the President, Vice President and Cabinet members.”
“The line of succession in this country should be able to assemble freely and safely without fear of threats or political violence and the White House Ballroom will ensure that,” she continued. “It is therefore essential that we complete this project as quickly as possible.”
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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We took a tour of the White House garden which shows the Trump building
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Saturday’s shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner raised new questions about securing events with large numbers of high-profile guests, including the president, vice president, Cabinet officials and members of Congress — several of whom sat in the presidential line of succession.
In the hours after the suspect’s arrest, Trump and his allies argued that the ballroom was necessary to provide a more secure setting — even though it was far from certain that the event would take place on the White House grounds. The dinner is hosted by members of the media and not the government.
In his response to the Justice Department’s letter, Quillen expressed gratitude for the Secret Service and law enforcement response to the shooting and noted that construction of the ballroom is currently allowed to continue until June 5, the date of the next scheduled oral arguments.
“We have always recognized the value of larger meeting space at the White House. Its construction legally requires congressional approval, which the administration can request at any time,” she said in the statement.
Brett A. Shumate, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s civil division, said in his letter to the trust’s attorney that Saturday’s incident proved the ballroom “is essential to the safety and security” of the president and others.
“When the White House Ballroom is completed, President Trump and his successors will no longer need to venture beyond the White House security perimeter to attend large gatherings in the Washington Hilton Ballroom,” Shumate said.
Presidents frequently travel across the country and around the world for events. Trump himself has attended many other large gatherings, including sporting events, conferences, dinners and rallies.
