David Edwards
August 26, 2026
RAW STORY
U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche attends a press conference to announce actions regarding a Chinese national marriage fraud scheme, at the Justice Department (DOJ) in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 12, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche vowed on Fox News to keep building President Donald Trump's $400 million White House ballroom, insisting it "is being built" despite two rulings against it.
Blanche spoke Wednesday on Fox News, where host Dana Perino asked when the legal fight would be resolved so the ballroom could be finished. The attorney general served as Trump's personal defense attorney before taking the Justice Department's second-highest job, and he now oversees the lawyers defending the project.
"But yes, we're gonna continue to build the ballroom," Blanche told Fox News.
"President Trump has promised that to the American people, and we're gonna continue to back him up in court to make sure that it can get built," he said. "The ballroom is being built. It's not stopped, and the Supreme Court issued the stay, which allows us to continue to do the work."
Chief Justice John Roberts issued a stay on Aug. 21 that temporarily froze a lower court decision halting above-ground work. CBS News
The order set no deadline and settled nothing about whether the project is lawful.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled in March that construction "must stop until Congress authorizes its completion.""The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!"
A federal appeals court upheld that order on Aug. 7, with two of three judges finding Trump lacked authority to build without congressional approval.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation told the justices the administration was racing to finish before the courts could stop it, and the government put the complex at "65% complete in its entirety."
"Well, the ballroom is being built, and it's disgusting that a district attorney in Philadelphia, who by the way has a city with its own problems, is so focused on what the president is doing at the White House," Blanche said.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said Tuesday he expected to keep a souvenir, telling a crowd it would be "a piece of the ballroom after we blow it up."
"It's also a national security issue, which we've been talking about now for months and months and months," Blanche added.
Leon's order never blocked the security work, according to NPR, and he allowed construction on the underground bunker beneath the White House to continue.
U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche attends a press conference to announce actions regarding a Chinese national marriage fraud scheme, at the Justice Department (DOJ) in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 12, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche vowed on Fox News to keep building President Donald Trump's $400 million White House ballroom, insisting it "is being built" despite two rulings against it.
Blanche spoke Wednesday on Fox News, where host Dana Perino asked when the legal fight would be resolved so the ballroom could be finished. The attorney general served as Trump's personal defense attorney before taking the Justice Department's second-highest job, and he now oversees the lawyers defending the project.
"But yes, we're gonna continue to build the ballroom," Blanche told Fox News.
"President Trump has promised that to the American people, and we're gonna continue to back him up in court to make sure that it can get built," he said. "The ballroom is being built. It's not stopped, and the Supreme Court issued the stay, which allows us to continue to do the work."
Chief Justice John Roberts issued a stay on Aug. 21 that temporarily froze a lower court decision halting above-ground work. CBS News
The order set no deadline and settled nothing about whether the project is lawful.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled in March that construction "must stop until Congress authorizes its completion.""The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!"
A federal appeals court upheld that order on Aug. 7, with two of three judges finding Trump lacked authority to build without congressional approval.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation told the justices the administration was racing to finish before the courts could stop it, and the government put the complex at "65% complete in its entirety."
"Well, the ballroom is being built, and it's disgusting that a district attorney in Philadelphia, who by the way has a city with its own problems, is so focused on what the president is doing at the White House," Blanche said.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said Tuesday he expected to keep a souvenir, telling a crowd it would be "a piece of the ballroom after we blow it up."
"It's also a national security issue, which we've been talking about now for months and months and months," Blanche added.
Leon's order never blocked the security work, according to NPR, and he allowed construction on the underground bunker beneath the White House to continue.
No comments:
Post a Comment