US President Donald Trump (AP Photo)
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump vetoed a federal judge’s decision Thursday that continues to block construction of a $400 million above-ground White House ballroom, allowing only underground work on a bunker and other “national security facilities” at the site. The latest ruling by U.S. District Judge Richard Lyon comes in response to an appeals court instruction to clarify an earlier decision regarding the 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom planned for the site where the East Wing of the White House was demolished. On social media, Trump described Leon, who was nominated for the post by Republican President George W. Bush, as a “Trump-hating” judge who “did everything in his power to undermine national security and ensure that this great gift to America is delayed or never built.” Leon said underground work on security measures was exempt from his order suspending above-ground construction. Government lawyers say the project includes important security features to protect against a range of potential threats, such as drones, ballistic missiles and biological hazards. Leon’s latest ruling comes several days after a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit directed him to reconsider the potential national security implications of halting construction.
In his previous order, Leon prohibited above-floor work in the ballroom without congressional approval. The judge also ruled on March 31 that any construction work necessary to ensure the safety and security of the White House is exempt from the scope of the injunction. Leon said he privately reviewed the materials provided to him by the government before concluding that halting construction would not jeopardize national security. Leon had suspended his March 31 order for two weeks. He delayed his latest decision for another week, giving the administration more time to seek Supreme Court review. Leon said he is ordering a halt only to above-ground construction of the planned ballroom, regardless of any work needed to cover or secure that portion of the project. Otherwise, the Trump administration is free to proceed with construction of any excavations, bunkers, military installations and medical facilities beneath the ballroom. “Defendants argue that the entire ballroom construction project, from start to finish, falls within the safety and security exception and can therefore proceed unabated,” the judge wrote. “This is neither a reasonable nor a correct reading of my request!” A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said on Saturday that it did not have enough information to determine how much of the project could be suspended without jeopardizing the safety of the president, his family or White House staff. Leon said he was aware of the security implications of this case, but stressed that “national security is not a blank check to proceed with any illegal activity.” He also said he had “no desire or intention of being drawn into the role of construction manager.” On April 2, two days after Leon’s earlier ruling, Trump Hall received final approval from the 12-member National Capital Planning Commission, which is charged with approving construction on federal property in the Washington area. The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit in December, a week after the White House finished demolishing the East Wing to make way for a ballroom that Trump said could seat 999 people. Trump says the project is being funded by private donations, although public funds are paying for the bunker’s construction and security upgrades.
