National Trust Fights Trump's White House Ballroom Project

0:00Preservationists from the National Trust for Historic Preservation are not backing down on their lawsuit against President Trump's $400 million White House Ballroom Project, even after the Department of Justice asked him to drop it following the shooting at the White House, Correspondence Dinner. Trump and conservatives are ramping up calls for the ballroom now, saying Saturday's incident shows how tough it is to secure big events off White, House Grounds, and they're pushing the group to end the legal fight. The Trust's lawyer made it clear in a letter that the shooting doesn't change the core issue, the Constitution and federal laws demand Congress. Approve any new construction on those grounds, and lawmakers haven't signed off. The suit kicked off back in December, right after the White House tore down the East Wing to clear space for a ballroom that holds 900. 99 people, funded mostly by private cash, though public dollars, cover a new underground bunker and security tweaks. A federal appeals court has greenlit the project to keep moving forward despite blocks on

1:02above groundwork, with the key hearing set for June 5th, so this battle over history versus security is far from over. That's your update from Durham News Today, powered by AI.