White House ballroom lawsuit leader trusts Trump‑picked chair.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s president, Carol Quillen, stated that she trusts Will Scharf, chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission, to conduct a thorough review of President Trump’s plan to add a ballroom to the White House. Scharf said the commission expects to receive the plans sometime this month and will carry out the review in a normal, deliberate manner.
The commission’s agenda for its upcoming January meeting lists the “East Wing Modernization Project” for an informational presentation, the typical first step in any review. The White House has not yet answered questions about when the ballroom proposals will be submitted to Scharf’s panel or to the Commission of Fine Arts.
The National Trust filed a lawsuit seeking a stay of construction until the project receives independent reviews, public comment and congressional approval. A federal judge denied the Trust’s request for an immediate restraining order, but scheduled a January hearing on a possible preliminary injunction that could halt work during the review process.
Trump’s proposal for a 90,000‑square‑foot ballroom, designed to seat 999 guests, would replace the former East Wing that was demolished in October 2023. The administration estimates the project will cost about $400 million, with no public funds expected, and claims it could be completed before the end of the president’s term in January 2029.
The National Trust argues the plans should have gone through the National Capital Planning Commission, the Commission of Fine Arts and Congress before construction, noting that the government has not responded to requests for a pause. Officials say the ballroom plans are not finalized and that construction is not expected to begin before April 2026 at the earliest.