DOJ Urges Trust to Drop White House Ballroom Lawsuit After Attempt

The Department of Justice urged attorneys for the National Trust for Historic Preservation on Sunday to drop their lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's proposed White House ballroom, citing an assassination attempt on the president at the White House Correspondents Dinner the night before.

The incident occurred Saturday evening at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., where 31-year-old Cole Allen of California allegedly charged a security checkpoint and fired shots, prompting the evacuation of Trump and other officials. The Secret Service and D.C. law enforcement intervened, and Allen now faces three felony counts, including attempted assassination, according to federal charges.

In a letter to the group's lawyer, Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate in the DOJ's civil division argued that the lawsuit delays a project essential for presidential security by forcing large events off White House grounds. "Your lawsuit puts the lives of the president, his family, and his staff at grave risk," Shumate wrote. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche shared the letter on social media, stating, "It's time to build the ballroom."

The National Trust, which sued in...