Topline
President Donald Trump ranted about the lawsuit blocking his ballroom from being built in a series of Truth Social posts hours late Friday, after his administration asked the Supreme Court to review the case, accusing the plaintiffs of revealing “top secret military features of the building” in court filings.
Key Facts
Trump attacked the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which brought the lawsuit, calling them “TREASONISTS” and alleging the group was “shown detailed plans and specifications” of the building and revealed “the top secret military features” in court filings.
He also disparaged Alison Hoagland—the National Trust board member who alleges the construction prevents her from fully enjoying the area and compromises the White House’s aesthetic—repeating his claim that she has “absolutely no standing” in the case and accusing her of “gross and flagrant abuse of our Courts.”
Trump also quoted several top national security officials describing the importance of the ballroom from a security standpoint and posted an AI rendering of him touring the renovated ballroom with George Washington.
Trump’s Truth Social spree comes after his administration asked the Supreme Court on Friday to reverse several lower court rulings blocking construction of the ballroom without congressional approval.
The project has become a fixation for Trump, who has initiated a flurry of renovations to government property and proposed new projects in and around the U.S. Capitol, many of which have been subject to lawsuits.
Key Background
The Trump administration was widely expected to bring the case to the Supreme Court after an appeals court upheld a lower court ruling last week to halt construction of the ballroom until the project is reviewed by Congress. The government has repeatedly argued the ballroom is a matter of national security, and that it’s needed to host large-scale events with world leaders in a secure location. The project also includes plans for an underground bunker and a drone port.
Tangent
The Trump administration in its filing Friday also said the alleged “threat of a missile attack against Air Force One on July 8” supports its security argument, referring to the highly publicized incident when Trump was moved off of Air Force One via a catering cart to another plane while departing Turkey last month. The Trump administration has claimed intelligence suggested Iran was plotting an “assassination attempt” against Trump, though the credibility of the Israeli intelligence has been disputed by some U.S. intelligence officials, the Washington Post reported, citing unnamed sources.
What To Watch For
The appeals court ruling gave the government two weeks to appeal the ruling that would pause construction before it takes effect. The Trump administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court to issue an immediate ruling allowing construction to continue while it considers the case. If construction is allowed, it’s likely the project will be completed before any final determination is made, as the Trump administration said Friday that construction is “moving quickly towards completion.”
further reading
Trump Asks Supreme Court To Allow White House Ballroom Construction (Forbes)
Trump Says He’ll Appeal ‘Horrendous’ Ruling Against White House Ballroom To Supreme Court (Forbes)
Trump Reignites White House Ballroom Push After Shooting At Correspondents’ Dinner (Forbes)