The U.S. Department of Justice has filed an unusually worded motion in federal court seeking to dissolve an injunction blocking construction of a planned $400 million White House ballroom, invoking national security concerns after a recent shooting in Washington while also deploying language more typical of political messaging than legal pleadings.
The filing, submitted on 27 April in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, targets the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which is suing to halt the project. The motion has drawn attention for opening with a direct attack on the plaintiff, stating: "The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a beautiful name, but even their name is FAKE," before advancing its legal arguments.
The case, formally docketed as Trump v. National Trust-related litigation tied to construction approvals, centers on whether the administration can proceed with the ballroom without additional congressional authorization. The court had previously issued a preliminary injunction on 31 March, finding no immediate national security justification.
The Justice Department's latest filing attempts to overturn that finding by citing a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. The motion argues the attack demonstrates vulnerabilities in existing venues, asserting that such an incident "could not have taken place in this new and highly secure facility."
The filing includes a declaration from a Secret Service official describing the proposed structure as a hardened security asset. According to the motion, the ballroom would feature "threat-resistant materials," including missile-resistant structural elements, blast-proof glass and reinforced systems designed to serve as "a fortified structural buffer."
Alongside its legal claims, the document adopts sharply critical language toward the nonprofit plaintiff, stating it "suffer[s] from Trump Derangement Syndrome, commonly referred to as TDS, as noted by Democrat Senator John Fetterman, of Pennsylvania." The reference draws on a social media post by John Fetterman, which read: "drop the TDS and build the White House ballroom."
The filing also references attorney Gregory Craig, who represents the National Trust, noting he served under President Barack Obama. Craig responded in a letter cited by CNBC, writing: "Your assertion that this lawsuit puts the President's life at 'grave risk' is incorrect and irresponsible."
At the core of the motion is a procedural request under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 62.1, asking the district court to indicate whether it would dissolve the injunction if jurisdiction is returned from the appellate court. The U.S. Court of Appeals has already issued a temporary lift allowing construction to continue pending further review, with a full hearing scheduled for 5 June.
The National Trust has refused to withdraw its lawsuit. Its president and chief executive, Carol Quillen, said: "We are not planning to voluntarily dismiss our lawsuit, which endangers no one and which respectfully asks the Administration to follow the law. Building it lawfully requires the approval of Congress, which the Administration could seek at any time."
The Justice Department also argued that the Trust's status and history undermine its claims, noting Congress ended direct appropriations to the organization in 2005. The Trust remains a congressionally chartered nonprofit and continues to receive certain federal grants through preservation programs.
