In the U.S., a request has been made to the Supreme Court to halt Trump's ballroom project
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the construction project for a ballroom at the White House, initiated by President Donald Trump. The organization is asking that work be halted while the court considers whether construction can continue, according to The Guardian.
The petition was filed less than a week after the Trump administration asked the nation’s highest court to allow construction of the $400 million ballroom to continue during the appeals process. Lawyers for the foundation stated that the administration is attempting to circumvent judicial oversight rather than obtaining the congressional authorization required by federal law.
According to representatives of the organization, the administration cannot cite any law that would explicitly grant it the authority to demolish one-third of the White House and replace it with a large, privately funded ballroom. The construction of the 90,000-square-foot hall—approximately 8,400 square meters—involves the demolition of the East Wing of the White House.
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The project also includes the construction of an underground military facility, which the administration claims is necessary to protect the president. An appeals court had previously upheld a ruling to suspend above-ground construction work, but that ruling was stayed so the administration could appeal it.
The Trump administration insists that the president has unlimited authority to renovate the White House without permission from Congress or the courts. The Department of Justice also argues that the current condition of the site makes it difficult to secure the complex. At the same time, the foundation’s lawyers noted that the court injunction allows construction of the underground military facility to continue while maintaining the security of the White House.
U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer asked the Supreme Court to issue a ruling by Friday, when the appeals court’s decision is set to take effect. According to the administration, the work has been underway for ten months and is approximately 65% complete.
