Historic preservation trust sues Trump over White House ballroom

David Jordan, CQ-Roll Call on Dec 12, 2025

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WASHINGTON — The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit on Friday challenging President Donald Trump’s plans to construct a ballroom on the site of the demolished East Wing.

The trust, a congressionally chartered nonprofit, argued in a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that Trump and administration officials have violated, and are continuing to violate, the Administrative Procedure Act and National Environmental Policy Act by demolishing the East Wing and moving forward with construction of the ballroom.

The complaint said the administration violated the laws when it didn’t consult with the National Capital Planning Commission or the Commission of Fine Arts and failed to conduct environmental assessments before proceeding with the demolition.

The trust asked the court to prevent any further work until an adequate environmental assessment is prepared and “enjoin defendant President Trump, and anyone acting at his direction or in concert with him, from performing further work on the Ballroom Project.”

“No president is legally allowed to tear down portions of the White House without any review whatsoever — not President Trump, not President Biden, and not anyone else,” the complaint said. “And no president is legally allowed to construct a ballroom on public property without giving the public the opportunity to weigh in.”

The trust challenged the White House’s assertion that it didn’t need to go through the planning process until “vertical” construction began on the new ballroom, arguing that “construction plans for the new building necessarily include demolition of the old building.”

The White House, along with the Capitol and Supreme Court Building, is explicitly exempt from the National Historic Preservation Act. But there are procedures that previous administrations have followed when making changes to the White House. The Trump administration followed the procedural steps when it constructed a tennis pavilion during the president’s first term.

CEO Carol Quillen said in a statement that the trust was “compelled to file this case.”

“Submitting the project to the National Capital Planning Commission for review protects the iconic historic features of the White House campus as it evolves. Inviting comments from the American people signals respect and helps ensure a lasting legacy that befits a government of the people, by the people, for the people,” said Quillen.

The trust sent a letter in October, while the East Wing was being torn down, to the National Park Service, the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission urging the administration to pause demolition until the proposed ballroom went through the public review process. The request was ignored, and the East Wing was demolished within a week.