White House Plans Private-Donation Ballroom Upgrade on NPS Land

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit heard arguments Friday on whether to lift a lower court order that halted construction of a proposed White House ballroom. The Department of Justice argued that stopping work would create security and safety risks for the president and the White House complex.

Judges focused much of their questioning on whether the National Trust for Historic Preservation has legal standing to sue.

Judges asked whether the government’s position would prevent lawsuits if officials demolished a national landmark before anyone could file suit. The lawyer confirmed that outcome under the administration’s view of standing rules. The preservation group’s lawyer countered that the project sits on National Park Service land and must follow preservation rules.

One judge said she had a “hard time seeing” how the group meets standing tests used in earlier cases.

The ballroom project was announced last year and drew opposition from Democrats and preservation advocates. The administration has said private donations would cover most costs, though Congress removed related security funding from an immigration bill this week.

Past White House projects such as a tennis pavilion and swimming pool were not challenged in court. The appeals court did not indicate when it would rule.

“It is simply that she thinks she will not like how it looks after the building is built. That is a classic generalized grievance.”