Attorney General Seeks to Resume White House Ballroom Construction After Shooting

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche asked a federal court on Sunday to allow construction to resume on a planned White House ballroom. The filing states that a shooting near a Secret Service checkpoint the previous evening demonstrates the need for the additional security features the ballroom would provide.

Blanche wrote that the ballroom forms part of the East Wing Project and is intended to serve as a secure venue for presidential duties. The document lists planned features including a drone-proof roof, ballistic glass, and integrated medical and military facilities.

A district court judge halted the project last month pending congressional approval of funding. The Senate parliamentarian ruled that $1 billion allocated for security could not be included in a reconciliation bill, and Congress adjourned without resolving the issue.

An appellate court permitted construction to continue until at least early June, when a panel of judges is scheduled to hear arguments. Federal Judge Richard Leon has raised questions about the project's $400 million private financing and the absence of direct congressional authorization.

President Trump stated last week that the ballroom itself is privately financed and that the reconciliation funds were intended only for security components. He added that without the funding, the White House would lack adequate protection. Blanche made a similar argument after an earlier shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

The filing describes current tented structures used for state dinners as insufficient compared with the proposed permanent facility.