Preservation group sues to block White House ballroom
A historic preservation group has sued the Trump administration to block a planned White House ballroom, alleging violations of the Administrative Procedure Act and the National Environmental Policy Act and contending the president lacks constitutional authority to build or demolish on federal grounds. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle says the president has "full legal authority" to proceed and expects to submit ballroom plans to a federal planning commission before year end; the project, now estimated at $300 million, began construction in October with demolition of the East Wing.
đ Key Facts
- A preservation group has sued the Trump administration to block the planned White House ballroom project.
- The lawsuit alleges violations of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and argues the president lacks constitutional authority to build or demolish on federal grounds.
- The White House, through spokesperson Davis Ingle, asserts the president has "full legal authority" to proceed with the renovation.
- Construction on the project began in October and included demolition work on the East Wing.
- Project cost has been updated to $300 million, up from a $200 million estimate reported in July.
- The White House expects to submit ballroom plans to a federal planning commission before the end of the year.
đ Relevant Data
The East Room of the White House has a seated capacity of approximately 200 people, making it insufficient for larger state events.
The proposed White House ballroom is designed to have a seated capacity of 650 people, significantly increasing the venue size for events compared to the East Room.
The White House Announces White House Ballroom Construction to Begin â White House
The $300 million White House ballroom project is funded by private donations from 37 donors, including technology CEOs and cryptocurrency billionaires.
Crypto billionaires among donors for White House ballroom â AP News
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has previously sued the federal government over historic preservation issues, including a 1996 case regarding obligations to fund preservation of historic buildings.
National Trust for Historic Preservation v. Blanck, 938 F. Supp. 908 â Justia
đ° Sources (2)
- White House spokesperson identified as Davis Ingle, asserting the president has 'full legal authority' to renovate.
- White House expects to submit ballroom plans to a federal planning commission before the end of the year.
- Project cost updated to $300 million, up from a $200 million estimate in July; construction began in October with East Wing demolition.
- Lawsuit explicitly alleges violations of the Administrative Procedure Act and National Environmental Policy Act and argues the president lacks constitutional authority to build/demolish on federal grounds.