"Donald Trump's administration argued Monday in a court filing that the president's White House ballroom construction project must continue for reasons of national security. The filing came in response to a lawsuit filed three days earlier by the National Trust for Historic Preservation asking a federal judge to halt the ballroom project until it goes through multiple independent reviews and wins approval from Congress."
"In its filing, the administration included a declaration from the deputy director of the US Secret Service saying more work on the site of the former White House East Wing is still needed to meet the agency's safety and security requirements. The administration has offered to share classified details with the judge in an in-person setting without the plaintiffs present."
"The government's response to the lawsuit offers the most comprehensive look yet at the ballroom construction project, including a window into how it was so swiftly approved by the Trump administration bureaucracy and its expanding scope. The filings assert that final plans for the ballroom have yet to be completed despite the continuing demolition and other work to prepare the site for construction."
The administration contends the White House ballroom project must proceed on national security grounds and supplied a Secret Service declaration asserting further work is needed to meet safety requirements. The administration offered to share classified information with the judge in person without plaintiffs present. The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued to halt work pending independent design reviews, environmental assessments, public comment and congressional approval. Demolition of the East Wing occurred in October for a privately funded 90,000-square-foot ballroom estimated at $300 million. Below-ground work continues, foundations are scheduled to begin in January, and above-ground construction is not expected before April 2026.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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