Brent Leggs, President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, released the following statement about today’s Supreme Court filing:

“Last week, the Administration made two audacious claims in asking the U.S. Supreme Court to greenlight continued aboveground construction of the White House Ballroom. First, that no court in the land has the authority to stop them. And second, that because they are using the same indestructible concrete used in nuclear power plants, it would be impossible to remove the Ballroom even if ordered to do so. They are working around the clock in an attempt to outrace judicial review.

Today, the National Trust filed its response with the Supreme Court. We reiterated that the Administration has no unilateral legal authority—constitutional, statutory, or otherwise—to build a Ballroom on the site of the now-demolished East Wing, unless and until Congress expressly approves. Each court that has reviewed this case has agreed with the National Trust. We hope the Supreme Court will uphold the rule of law by stopping this illegal project.

Our position was supported by several amicus briefs, including one from the Society for the Rule of Law and former Republican White House lawyers. These briefs highlight the point the National Trust has made for months: the executive branch lacks unilateral authority to destroy or transform the White House, and cannot use national security as a justification for ignoring the Constitution.”

Resources

• For more detail on the National Trust’s legal concerns, read the National Trust’s filing to the Supreme Court, and the supportive amicus brief filed by the Society for the Rule of Law and former Republican White House lawyers.
• See more resources related to the White House Construction Project