President Donald Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom addition will proceed, despite legal challenges – but no other construction projects are expected to arise on the People’s House, officials say.
Last week, a federal judge denied the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s request to stop construction of Trump’s 90,000 square-foot, ornate, entertainment space, which required removing the East Wing.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit that works to preserve historic buildings, objects and spaces, argued the White House circumvented the typical review process for federal building projects before breaking ground.
The judge allowed the project to move forward, but asked the administration to submit its ballroom proposal to the National Capital Planning Commission within the month.
Carol Quillen, the president and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, told CBS News she has “deep concern” about future projects not following protocol. A White House official told the news outlet, “There are no plans for any demolition of any structures at this time.”
The Independent has asked the White House for comment.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has overhauled much of the decor – adding gilded embellishments to the Oval Office, erecting 80-foot flag poles on the lawn, paving over the Rose Garden to create a country-club style patio and installing a “Wall of Fame” with opinionated descriptions of past presidents.
But the decision to tear down the historic East Wing to add the massive ballroom generated the most controversy.
Officials gave no warning of the sudden demolition of the East Wing, despite Trump previously claiming the new ballroom wouldn’t disrupt the existing structure.
The president had also originally claimed the ballroom would only cost $200 million; however, it is now expected to cost $400 million.
The White House maintains that the president is permitted to make changes to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, just as past presidents have. Trump has championed the ballroom, claiming it would serve as a place to host state dinners and other formal, large events.
Some lawmakers are not convinced. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal has sent letters to potential ballroom donors who were reportedly invited to a dinner for the project, requesting information.
Public Citizen, a progressive nonprofit, filed a lawsuit this week against the National Park Service and Department of the Interior for failing to respond to a FOIA request for information about the construction of the ballroom.
The National Capital Planning Commission is slated to hear a proposal on the ballroom in early January.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the capital, Trump still wants to build a triumphal arch, saying earlier this month that the project was now the “primary” focus of his administration.
