By Jim Thomas | Sunday, 26 April 2026 01:24 PM EDT
President Donald Trump on Sunday demanded that a federal lawsuit blocking aspects of his planned White House ballroom be dropped, citing Saturday night’s shooting outside the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner as evidence that presidential events must occur on secured grounds.
The project remains under judicial review, with the suspect in custody. Trump stated construction of what he termed a “Militarily Top Secret Ballroom” is proceeding without delay and cannot be slowed.
In a Truth Social post issued Sunday morning, Trump contended that the attempted attack at the Washington Hilton underscored the necessity for a secure ballroom on White House grounds.
“What happened last night is exactly the reason that our great Military, Secret Service, Law Enforcement, and, for different reasons, every President for the last 150 years, have been DEMANDING that a large, safe, and secure Ballroom be built ON THE GROUNDS OF THE WHITE HOUSE,” Trump stated.
He emphasized the ballroom’s security features: “While beautiful, it has every highest level security feature there is plus, there are no rooms sitting on top for unsecured people to pour in, and is inside the gates of the most secure building in the World, The White House.”
Trump also criticized the lawsuit as a “ridiculous Ballroom lawsuit, brought by a woman walking her dog, who has absolutely No Standing to bring such a suit,” asserting it must be dismissed immediately. He added that nothing should delay construction, which he claimed is on budget and substantially ahead of schedule.
The lawsuit was filed in December 2025 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a congressionally chartered nonprofit, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Trump referenced architectural historian Alison Hoagland, a National Trust board member, who established standing by describing how the demolition of the East Wing and new construction disrupts her walks and her view.
The trial judge found those harms sufficient to support an injunction. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, a George W. Bush appointee, granted a preliminary injunction on March 31, finding the project likely required congressional authorization. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit later extended a stay of that injunction and remanded the case for clarification regarding safety and security exceptions.
The shooting that prompted Trump’s renewed focus occurred Saturday night when Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, charged a Secret Service checkpoint outside the ballroom carrying a shotgun, a handgun, and knives. He exchanged fire with agents before being subdued. One agent was struck but protected by a ballistic vest. The president, the first lady, and Cabinet members were evacuated.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that preliminary findings indicate Allen targeted administration officials. Allen is scheduled for arraignment Monday in federal court on two firearms charges and assault on a federal officer, with additional charges anticipated. The dinner was canceled and expected to be rescheduled within 30 days.
