White House Ballroom Battle Tests Court Authority and Congressional Power

A DOJ lawyer argued that courts lack power to halt the White House East Wing ballroom and a secure underground bunker, suggesting only Congress can authorize or block the project; the National Trust for Historic Preservation sued the NPS after Trump ordered the East Wing’s demolition, with construction partially proceeding while the dispute continues and the Senate cut $1B in funding for security upgrades related to the project, highlighting a clash over presidential action versus judicial review.