Preservationists have gone to court to halt further work on President Donald Trump’s plans to build a massive ballroom where the White House’s East Wing once stood.
The lawsuit filed Friday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia says the government has already violated the Constitution and several federal laws by moving forward with demolition and construction without input from Congress, planning officials or the public.
“The White House is arguably the most evocative building in our country and a globally recognized symbol of our powerful American ideals. As the organization charged with protecting places where our history happened, the National Trust was compelled to file this case,” said Carol Quillen, president and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in a statement accompanying the group’s lawsuit.
“Submitting the project to the National Capital Planning Commission for review protects the iconic historic features of the White House campus as it evolves,” she continued. “Inviting comments from the American people signals respect and helps ensure a lasting legacy that befits a government of the people, by the people, for the people.”
