The Trump administration argued in a court filing on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, that pausing construction on the new White House ballroom would undermine national security. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images; Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, lawyers for the Justice Department argued in a separate filing on Monday that Trump does have the statutory authority to modify the structure as president.
"The President possesses statutory authority to modify the structure of his residence, and that authority is supported by background principles of Executive power," the Justice Department told the court on Monday in a separate filing.
They cited Trump's personal involvement in the project, and noted that he has regularly taken part in meetings and discussions "regarding design and footprint and personally selecting the architect for the project," among other things.
TRUMP UNVEILS VISION FOR EISENHOWER EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING MAKEOVER
An excavator works to clear rubble after the East Wing of the White House was demolished on Oct. 23, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Eric Lee/Getty Images)
Lawyers for the Trump administration also argued that abruptly halting construction on the project would create "security concerns" at the White House, an argument it is expected to seize on further during Tuesday afternoon's hearing.
They also included a declaration from Secret Service deputy director Matthew Quinn that said improvements to the site "are still needed before the Secret Service’s safety and security requirements can be met."
"Any pause in construction, even temporarily, would leave the contractor’s obligation unfulfilled in this regard and consequently hamper the Secret Service’s ability to meet its statutory obligations and protective mission."
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Trump in July first announced his plans to proceed with constructing the sprawling, 90,000-square-foot ballroom, which he estimated at the time would cost around $200 million. Trump has insisted it will be funded "100% by me and some friends of mine."
Breanne Deppisch is a national politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering the Trump administration, with a focus on the Justice Department, FBI and other national news. She previously covered national politics at the Washington Examiner and The Washington Post, with additional bylines in Politico Magazine, the Colorado Gazette and others. You can send tips to Breanne at Breanne.Deppisch@fox.com, or follow her on X at @breanne_dep.
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