Trump’s White House Ballroom Project Moves Forward Despite Legal Battle After Thwarted UFC Attack

The Department of Justice has urged a federal appeals court to permit construction on President Donald Trump’s planned White House ballroom, citing the thwarted attack at last weekend’s UFC Freedom 250 event.

In a letter released Wednesday morning, Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate argued that the proposed ballroom—designed with critical features including a “heavy steel drone-proof roof,” “missile-resistant columns,” and “bullet, ballistic, and blast-proof glass windows”—would be essential for national security. He stated such measures would “defend against just such attacks” and provide the Secret Service with necessary visibility to identify threats.

Shumate also noted that the president and guests currently rely on temporary tents that “cannot even protect highly esteemed guests from inclement weather, let alone high-caliber bullets or kamikaze drones.”

The DOJ reported five men have been arrested on charges of plotting a mass-casualty attack targeting government officials and others at the UFC event. Authorities allege the suspects intended to use explosive-armed drones to create chaos and enable sniper teams to fire upon fleeing crowds.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon halted aboveground construction in April, finding the administration had not demonstrated an immediate national security need for the ballroom. However, a three-judge appeals panel later stayed his order while reviewing the administration’s appeal, allowing work to proceed.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which filed the lawsuit challenging the project, has vowed to continue its legal battle. The organization described last week’s shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner as an “awful event” but maintained that the law requires congressional approval for such projects. During oral arguments this month, two members of the appeals panel—Judge Bradley Garcia, appointed by former President Joe Biden, and Judge Patricia Ann Millett, appointed by former President Barack Obama—appeared skeptical of the administration’s claims regarding Trump’s authority to proceed with the project.

The Justice Department estimates the ballroom would cost $200 million and be funded by private donors, while contractors’ internal estimates place the project at $600 million with taxpayers covering roughly half.