Trump admin defends White House ballroom as national security matter

By Fox News · Fox News

The Trump administration argued in a court filing on Monday that pausing construction on the new White House ballroom would undermine national security , citing a Secret Service declaration warning that halting work would leave the site unable to meet "safety and security requirements" needed to protect the president. The declaration says the White House's East Wing, demolished in October and now undergoing below-grade work, cannot be left unfinished without compromising essential security measures. "Accordingly, any pause in construction, even temporarily, would leave the contractor's obligation unfulfilled in this regard and consequently hamper the Secret Service’s ability to meet its statutory obligations and protective mission," reads the filing in part. The government’s memorandum was in response to a lawsuit filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit that says it advocates for preserving historic sites of national importance and protecting the public’s role in that process. WALZ REPEATS DEBUNKED CLAIM THAT TRUMP CONSIDERS WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM 'TOP PRIORITY' The National Trust lawsuit targets key government officials responsible for overseeing the White House grounds and the agencies managing the construction project, including the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior. It argues that pausing the Trump administration’s ballroom project is essential to prevent irreversible changes while the required oversight and public involvement procedures are carried out. "Submitting the project to the National Capital Planning Commission for review protects the iconic historic features of the White House campus as it evolves. Inviting comments from the American people signals respect and helps ensure a lasting legacy that befits a government of the people, by the people, for the people," said Carol Quillen , the president and CEO of the National Trust for Historic P…