Full Breakdown
DOJ Seeks to Overturn White House Ballroom Injunction After Assassination Attempt
4/28/2026, 8:15:47 PM
Ballroom Project, Injunction, and DOJ Motion
Donald J. Trump’s plan to add a 90,000-square-foot, $200-$400 million ballroom to the White House East Wing was halted by a March 31 injunction from District Judge Richard J. Leon, who said congressional approval is required. On April 26, 31-year-old gunman Cole Thomas Allen attempted to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at Washington Hilton. Justice Department filed a nine-page motion, asking Leon to dissolve injunction.
Key Players and Project Details
The dispute pits Trump and Justice Department—represented by Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General R. Trent McCotter—against National Trust for Historic Preservation, led by lawyer Gregory B. Craig. Judge Richard J. Leon presides. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) back ballroom, which would seat up to 2,000 guests, cost $200-$400 million, and include below-ground, bullet-proof, drone-proof security facilities.
Official Statements & Responses
Justice Department says the injunction “greatly endangers the lives of all Presidents” and that the ballroom is “vital for national security.” President Trump argued the Hilton attack proves a larger, more secure ballroom is needed. Gregory B. Craig said the suit seeks congressional authorization and declined the DOJ’s request to dismiss. Senate Republicans introduced a $400 million bill to fund the project as a secure venue for future events.
Criticism & Opposition
Legal analysts called DOJ filing “embarrassing” and “utterly bizarre,” citing random capitalization, exclamation points, and a tone that mimics Trump’s Truth Social posts. Mediaite and Alternet described it as a “bizarre, Trump-style” attack on a legitimate preservation group.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on Judge Leon’s authority: some say he cannot dissolve the injunction after the appeal, while DOJ seeks an “indicative ruling.” DOJ claims the injunction stalls construction, but other reports note it has not taken effect. Cost estimates range from $200 million to $400 million.
Verbatim Quotes
- “If any other President had the ability, foresight, or talents necessary, to build this ballroom, which will be one of the greatest, safest, and most secure structures of its kind anywhere in the World, there would never have been a lawsuit,” — Stanley Woodward, Associate Attorney General
- “‘The National Trust for Historic Preservation’ is a beautiful name, but even their name is FAKE because when they add the words ‘in the United States’ to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, it makes it sound like a Governmental Agency, which it is not,” — Stanley Woodward, Associate Attorney General
- “I didn’t want to say this, but this is why we have to have all of the attributes of what we’re planning at the White House. It’s actually a larger room, and it’s much more secure. It’s got — it’s drone-proof. It’s bulletproof glass. We need the ballroom,” — Donald J. Trump
- “We were there front and center. That venue wasn’t built to accommodate an event with the line of succession for the U.S. government. After witnessing last night, drop the TDS and build the White House ballroom for events exactly like these,” — John Fetterman, U.S. Senator
What’s Next
D.C. Circuit panel will hear arguments on the injunction in June. Senate’s $400 million funding bill faces a partisan vote, leaving the ballroom’s future uncertain.
