Trump renews the request of the White House ballroom, pointing to a close shot | Donald Trump News


The administration of US President Donald Trump has increased his pressure to raise a a court order to stop progress on the new White House ballroom, citing gun violence as a reason to continue construction.

In a court reservation filed on Sunday, Attorney General Todd Blanche said it was “essential” that the court be closed.

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“This is a terrible, terrible crime against the United States of America, and it represents!” Blanche wrote, criticizing the lawsuit that has halted construction.

As justification, Blanche pointed to what happened last Saturday, when a 21-year-old suspect named Nasire Best approached the White House security checkpoint in Washington, DC, pulled out a gun, and started shooting.

One bystander was injured. The suspect was killed after an exchange of gunfire with Secret Service agents. The noise could be heard throughout the White House, as reporters were seen running for safety.

Blanche said the incident marked the second time in a month that Trump’s life has been threatened.

On April 25, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen attempted to breach security at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where Trump and his officials were present. After a shootout with security, Allen was captured.

“The second attack on the President this month highlights the critical need for security measures at the White House, including the Ballroom,” Blanche said in a statement.

He added that the stadium “is being built to ensure that the President can carry out his official duties in a safe and highly secured environment”.

The Department of Justice, under Blanche, advanced a a similar argument after the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

And Trump himself said the same thing on Saturday, using his Truth Social platform to link the latest shooting to the football stadium.

“This event is one month removed from the White House Correspondent’Dinner shooting (sic), and shows the importance of all future Presidents, to find, what will be, the most secure and safe place of its kind ever built in Washington, DC,” Trump. he wrote.

“Our Country’s National Security needs this!”

Barriers to construction

But Trump faces an increasing battle as he pursues his ballroom career.

On March 31, federal judge Richard Leon issued an injunction to stop the construction of the ballpark.

Although Leon gave an overview of any work “necessary to ensure the safety and security of the White House”, the judge said that “claims of national security” cannot be accepted as a way to circumvent his decision or the law.

He asked the Trump administration to ask Congress to approve the project. Until then, Leon ruled, “the construction must stop”.

In recent weeks, Trump has sought additional funding from Congress for the ballroom, though not approved for the actual construction.

But even the members of his party fell on the tree. Trump wanted the $1bn ballroom project to be added to the immigration bill, but last week, Republicans in the Senate. he agreed to drop the sentence.

Others opposed the money. Others have suggested that, with $1bn in disproportionate spending, immigration-related costs. he would not qualify anymore on a process called budget reconciliation, which allows bills to pass in the Senate with a majority.

US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters near the construction site of his proposed White House stadium in Washington, DC, on May 19, 2026. (Photo by Kent NISHIMURA/AFP)
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters near the construction site of his proposed ballroom on May 19 (Kent Nishimura/AFP)

The size of the ballroom

Trump had previously said the stadium would be funded entirely through private donations.

But the associated cost has risen. Last year, Trump compared construction worth $200m. Then, in December, he raised the price to $400m.

In the past month, however, that has jumped to include $1bn in taxpayer money, which is said to be aimed at improving security.

However, when Trump gave reporters a tour of the construction site on May 19, he insisted that the money for the project would come from private pockets.

“This was all paid for by myself. We’re making this gift. This is a gift. This is not paid for by the taxpayers,” Trump said, speaking to the site.

He has repeatedly said the construction project is ahead of schedule and under budget, which Blanche repeated in court on Sunday.

But on May 12, when he met with reporters about the rising cost, Trump appeared defensive.

“I doubled it in size, you dumbass.” Double the size.

Workers look on as US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters near the construction site of the proposed White House stadium in Washington, DC, on May 19, 2026. (Photo by Kent NISHIMURA/AFP)
Workers are seen near the construction site of Trump’s proposed ballroom on May 19 (Kent Nishimura/AFP)

New things are coming

The project has also been criticized for its lack of transparency and inability to obtain foreign approvals.

Even this month, new information is still emerging on the building, which is supposed to be about 90,000 square meters (about 8,360 square meters), larger than the White House.

Trump also recently revealed that the new stadium will include six floors of underground facilities, including a military hospital. Its completion is expected in September 2028, before Trump’s term ends in January 2029.

Some of the newly presented cases were detailed in Blanche’s recent court cases.

The football stadium, Blanche wrote, “includes a bomb shelter, a modern hospital and clinics, Top Secret weapons, infrastructure, and equipment, security units, etc”.

In addition, the “highly protected” roof is supposed to have a “large drone port and Government equipment”.

Blanche argued in a written statement on Sunday that she was forced to disclose the security details in order to request that the court order be overturned.

“The longer these frivolous crimes continue, the more our national security will be at risk as the Administration is forced to justify – through the disclosure of security installations, layouts, and other constructions – the need to increase security at the White House,” Blanche wrote.

The critics said the Trump administration acted without oversight.

In December, the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed its complaint, saying the law required approval not only from Congress but also from the National Capital Planning Commission.

Additionally, it said “no adequate environmental assessment” was done before the Trump administration abruptly demolished the White House’s East Wing in October to make way for construction.

“No president is legally allowed to tear down parts of the White House without any vetting — not President Trump, not President Biden, not anyone else.

“President Trump’s efforts to do this must be stopped immediately.”



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