The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a motion demanding that a U.S. Judge withdraw an injunction that ruled that President Donald Trump could not build his planned White House ballroom project without Congressional authorization.
The motion comes after the DOJ urged the National Trust for Historic Preservation to drop its lawsuit. The Trust is a privately funded nonprofit organization designated by the U.S. Congress to protect historic sites.
According to The Associated Press (AP), Top Justice officials said the government would ask a court to dismiss the lawsuit in light of the incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner if the Trust did not voluntarily drop it.
In March 2026, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting further construction of the ballroom, writing, "no statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have."
The motion accuses the Trust of suffering from "TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME,” additionally describing Judge Leon’s injunction as "intolerable," "unsustainable," and "indefensible."
Senate GOP Unveils $400 Million Bill for Ballroom
Hours before the DOJ’s motion, a group of Senate Republicans led by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) unveiled a bill that would provide $400 million for President Donald Trump’s planned White House ballroom project. The group also used the WHCD to justify the space.
According to ABC News, the ballroom would feature U.S military and Secret Service security infrastructure underneath it.
President Trump has previously affirmed that private donations would fund the ballroom, while public funds would be used for the security measures.
"I am convinced if there had been a presidential ballroom adjacent to the White House, the guy never would have gotten in," Sen. Graham stated. "Anybody who suggests that we have an event like this in the times in which we live in a facility like Hilton, that's crazy," Sen. Graham added.
"We are going to have to accommodate the times in which we live."
