politics
White House Accelerates $400M Counter-Drone and Sniper Facility After Two Assassination Attempts
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled that President Trump lacks authority to build the 90,000-square-foot ballroom. An appeals court later allowed above-ground work to continue.
May 31, 5:11 PM·3m read3 sources
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U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled in late March 2026 that President Trump lacked legal authority to build the 90,000-square-foot ballroom absent express authorization from Congress. Leon, a President George W. Bush appointee, issued an injunction that halted above-ground construction of the planned ballroom.
An appeals court quickly put the injunction on hold, and construction of the East Wing project has continued. The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed its initial lawsuit in December against President Trump and several federal agencies, filed an amended lawsuit last month, and said it will not drop its lawsuit.
President Donald Trump posted two detailed renderings of drones on a massive rooftop on Truth Social on May 31 2026. He described the proposed facility as perhaps the most sophisticated anywhere in the world and said the capital can no longer be defended with rifles and pistols alone because of highly sophisticated and powerful modern day weaponry.
Trump stated that Judge Richard Leon should stop playing games with America’s security and that if anything happens the judge will be held responsible for the death and destruction caused to the country.
In a court filing, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote that in light of recent attacks against President Trump’s life, including two attempts in less than a month, the injunction must be vacated. A gunman opened fire at a White House checkpoint earlier in May 2026, was shot by officers, and later died at a hospital.
In a pre-taped interview with Lara Trump that aired on Fox News on May 30 2026, President Trump said he plans to hold the next presidential inauguration in the new ballroom.
He said when the ballroom is finished he will only have the use of it for six months. Trump said in the Capitol he had 902 people and it was still beautiful but it was not safe like this. Lara Trump said this is far more than a ballroom and that it goes down six floors.
