SAC.Legal Firestorm Erupts as National Trust Launches Explosive Lawsuit to Halt Trump’s Lavish Ballroom Plan
Democracy Dies in Darkness
The organization, which is charged by Congress with historic preservation, has retained President Barack Obama’s former lawyer as it seeks to pause the project.
Updated December 12, 2025
The White House has demolished its East Wing annex and begun preparation to build a new ballroom in its place. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)
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Historical preservationists begged President Donald Trump in October not to rapidly demolish the White House’s East Wing annex for his ballroom project, urging him to wait for federal review panels and allow the public to weigh in. Now a group charged by Congress with helping to preserve historical buildings is asking a judge to block construction until those reviews occur, arguing that the ongoing project is illegal and unconstitutional.
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