Trump administration lawyers asked a federal appeals court to pause a judge’s order that temporarily stopped construction of a new White House ballroom, according to a motion filed Friday. The administration argued that stopping work on the project creates national-security risks for President Donald Trump, his family, and staff as the government appeals the ruling.
The motion, filed by National Park Service lawyers, sought to keep the judge’s construction pause from taking effect while the case proceeds. The administration said the judge’s order to suspend construction of the roughly $400 million ballroom would create “threatening grave national-security harms to the White House, the President and his family, and the President’s staff,” according to the motion.
In arguing for the pause, the government’s filing told the appeals court that “Time is of the essence!” and pointed to materials that would be installed for what it described as a “heavily fortified” facility. The motion also described security features tied to the ballroom construction, including bomb shelters, military installations, and a medical facility, and said the ballroom is part of Trump’s plans to quickly remake Washington.
The administration’s request comes after U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon issued a temporary halt to the construction in Washington on Tuesday. Leon concluded that unless Congress approves the project, a preservationist group suing to stop it was likely to succeed on the merits because “no statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have,” according to the reporting.
Leon, who was nominated by President George W. Bush, suspended enforcement of his order for 14 days, acknowledging that the administration would appeal and also addressing logistical concerns. In doing so, Leon recognized that “halting an ongoing construction project may raise logistical issues,” and he exempted construction work he said was necessary for the safety and security of the White House from the scope of the injunction.
In his ruling, Leon also discussed national-security considerations. The judge said he reviewed information the government privately submitted and concluded that halting construction would not jeopardize national security, while also carving out certain security-related work for continued action.
The motion to the appeals court also reflected how the construction dispute has advanced alongside other approvals. The reporting on the case said Leon’s ruling and the appeal came in the same week that a key agency tasked with approving construction on federal property in the Washington region gave final approval to the ballroom project.
The government’s filing said the current construction site conditions make it harder to protect the White House if work is suspended. It argued that canvas tents used without the ballroom would be “significantly more vulnerable to missiles, drones, and other threats than a hardened national security facility,” according to the motion.
The administration asked the appeals court to decide its request by Friday. It also asked that the 14-day suspension ordered by Leon be extended for another two weeks so the case could be taken to the Supreme Court.
MSI previously reported that a judge ordered the Trump administration to halt White House ballroom construction as the case moved into an appeal.