Donald Trump has been excited about his $300 million ballroom project, which is expected to be done by 2028. The project was earlier estimated to be $200 million, but the cost went up with construction and demolition work.
There was a huge uproar and criticism over the demolition of the historic East Wing. Even Melania Trump was not happy about the demolition since she had an office in that space. Now the National Trust for Historic Preservation has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to bring the project to a halt.
A newly filed lawsuit by the National Trust for Historic Preservation is hoping to block construction of Pres. Trump’s $300 million White House ballroom, which is going up where the East Wing once stood – without review or approval. @RachelVScott has more. https://t.co/oAyw5HW06w pic.twitter.com/o2XzaPS0oc
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) December 13, 2025
They want to stop the construction work till the project has a green flag after undergoing several independent reviews. Before the demolition of the East Wing, there was no prior notification, shocking everyone with the destruction of historically important property.
On the other hand, the Trump administration has said security considerations justify the project in the court filing. They also said that preservationists do not have the legal right to sue the administration.
But the organization wants the judge to rule in favor of halting the project. They have also demanded that the project should have approval from Congress, along with a public comment period. According to the administration and the U.S. Secret Service, the construction work at the White House East Wing is required to maintain security.
JUST IN: The White House has begun DEMOLISHING portions of the East Wing of the White House to build Trump’s $250 million ballroom — despite earlier claiming it wouldn’t “interfere” with the existing White House structure. (Washington Post) pic.twitter.com/qVUzEajM8j
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) October 20, 2025
They did not reveal a specific reason in the 36-page filing, but may disclose it privately to the judge. The administration does not want to stop the construction work as it will impact the timeline and hamper their role in maintaining the security for the president.
Even after extensive work on the project, the final blueprints of the ballroom are still not available. They are focusing on underground and preparatory construction work for now. Major parts of the visible construction may start in April 2026.
Any halt in the project will affect its completion time. Even if it’s finished by 2028, Trump will only have a few months left unless he succeeds in his plans to run for the third time.
