Statement from Emily Thompson, Executive Director of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, on the judge’s ruling halting the construction of President Trump’s ballroom at the White House:
“The White House is the people’s house. It is not President Trump’s house. And the White House certainly does not belong to the corporate donors seeking influence with the Administration by funding the construction of the ballroom.
The White House is a National Historic Landmark, a structure of the highest historic significance to the nation. While Presidents can – and should be able to – change the appearance of the White House they must follow the law and engage the proper agencies to do so. The Trump Administration failed to do so. Today’s ruling is a win for democracy and the rule of law.
As an organization representing retirees of a federal agency with over a century of large public projects on public lands, we support a deliberate and thoughtful approach to the development of projects that will last for the next 100 years and will continue to work to ensure any construction at the White House adheres to the law.”
In February, the Coalition filed public concerns about the project with the National Park Service: https://protectnps.org/2026/02/27/coalition-urges-public-review-and-historic-preservation-safeguards-for-proposed-white-house-ballroom-expansion/
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