The Trump administration told a federal court that work on a proposed White House ballroom must continue, citing national security and a Secret Service declaration that additional site work is needed. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has sued to halt the project until independent design, environmental and congressional reviews are completed. Government filings call challenges to the demolition moot and say future construction claims are unripe because final plans are unfinished; a hearing is scheduled Tuesday.
White House Ballroom Fight Intensifies: Administration Cites National Security to Continue Work
Work continues on the construction of the ballroom at the White House, Tuesday, Dec., 9, 2025, in Washington, where the East Wing once stood. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
The Trump administration told a federal court on Monday that work at the White House ballroom site must continue on national security grounds, even as preservationists seek to halt the project.
In its response to a lawsuit filed last week by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the government submitted a declaration from the deputy director of the U.S. Secret Service saying additional work at the former East Wing site remains necessary to satisfy the agency’s safety and security requirements. The administration also offered to provide classified details to the judge in an in‑camera setting without the plaintiffs present.
The court filing provides the most detailed public account yet of the ballroom project, shedding light on how the proposal moved quickly through internal approvals and how its scope has expanded. According to the filings, demolition and below‑ground preparatory work are already underway; John Stanwich, the National Park Service liaison to the White House, wrote that foundation work is scheduled to begin in January while above‑ground construction “is not anticipated to begin until April 2026, at the earliest.”
Legal Arguments And Next Steps
The privately funded National Trust asked a U.S. District Court last week to block further work until the project completes independent design reviews, environmental assessments, public comment periods and congressional consideration. The group argues the addition requires comprehensive review and oversight before construction proceeds.
The administration counters that claims about the October demolition of the East Wing are moot because that work cannot be undone, and that claims about future construction are unripe because final plans are not yet complete. It also argues the Trust cannot show irreparable harm while above‑ground construction is not expected until next spring.
Administration filings say the consultations the Trust seeks with the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts “will soon be underway without this Court's involvement.” The filing adds that, even if the threshold legal obstacles were overcome, the Trust would still fail to satisfy the high standard required for extraordinary preliminary relief.
Reaction And Context
The ballroom plan, a privately funded addition estimated at about $300 million and roughly 90,000 square feet, has drawn criticism from preservationists, architects and political opponents. The lawsuit is the most concrete legal effort so far to stop or alter a proposed addition that would be nearly twice the size of the White House before the East Wing was removed.
A hearing in the case was scheduled for Tuesday in federal court in Washington. The National Trust for Historic Preservation did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
