Trump blasts 'TREASONISTS' over White House ballroom lawsuit, seeks Supreme Court intervention

Topline

President Donald Trump launched a series of posts on Truth Social late Friday, railing against the lawsuit blocking construction of his White House ballroom. His remarks came hours after his administration asked the Supreme Court to review the case. Trump accused the plaintiffs of revealing "top secret military features of the building" in court filings.

Key Facts

• Trump attacked the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which brought the lawsuit, calling them "TREASONISTS." He alleged the group was "shown detailed plans and specifications" of the building and disclosed "the top secret military features" in court filings.
• He also disparaged Alison Hoagland, a National Trust board member who claims the construction prevents her from fully enjoying the area and compromises the White House's aesthetic. Trump repeated his assertion that she has "absolutely no standing" in the case and accused her of "gross and flagrant abuse of our Courts."
• Trump quoted several top national security officials describing the ballroom's importance from a security standpoint and posted an AI-generated rendering of himself touring the renovated ballroom with George Washington.
• Trump's Truth Social activity follows his administration's request to the Supreme Court on Friday to reverse multiple lower court rulings that blocked construction of the ballroom without congressional approval.
• The project has become a fixation for Trump, who has initiated a flurry of renovations to government property and proposed new projects in and around the U.S. Capitol—many of which have been subject to lawsuits.

Key Background

The Trump administration was widely expected to bring the case to the Supreme Court after an appeals court upheld a lower court ruling last week to halt construction until the project is reviewed by Congress. The government has repeatedly argued the ballroom is a matter of national security, stating it is needed to host large-scale events with world leaders in a secure location. The project also includes plans for an underground bunker and a drone port.

Tangent

In its filing Friday, the Trump administration also cited the alleged "threat of a missile attack against Air Force One on July 8" to support its security argument. This refers to the highly publicized incident last month when Trump was moved off Air Force One via a catering cart to another plane while departing Turkey. The Trump administration has claimed intelligence suggested Iran was plotting an "assassination attempt" against Trump. However, the credibility of the Israeli intelligence has been disputed by some U.S. intelligence officials, according to the Washington Post, citing unnamed sources.

What to Watch For

The appeals court ruling gave the government two weeks to appeal the decision that would pause construction before it takes effect. On Friday, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to issue an immediate ruling allowing construction to continue while it considers the case. If construction is permitted, it is likely the project will be completed before any final determination is made, as the Trump administration stated Friday that construction is "moving quickly towards completion."

Further Reading

• Trump Asks Supreme Court To Allow White House Ballroom Construction (Forbes)
• Trump Says He’ll Appeal ‘Horrendous’ Ruling Against White House Ballroom To Supreme Court (Forbes)
• Trump Reignites White House Ballroom Push After Shooting At Correspondents’ Dinner (Forbes)