Acting AG Blanche asks court to let White House ballroom construction resume after press dinner shooting

Key Points:

• Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has requested a federal judge to overturn his own ruling that blocked construction of a White House ballroom, citing a recent shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner as proof of the ballroom's necessity for presidential safety.
• Federal Judge Richard Leon had imposed a preliminary injunction pausing above-ground construction until congressional approval is obtained, though construction of a presidential bunker beneath the East Wing continues unaffected.
• A federal appellate court temporarily allowed all construction to proceed and will hear further arguments in early June, while the Trust for Historic Preservation, which filed the lawsuit, maintains it will continue to oppose the project.
• Blanche's filing includes a sworn affidavit from Secret Service deputy director Matthew Quinn highlighting security limitations of off-site venues and argues the new ballroom is essential for national security and would prevent incidents like the recent shooting.
• The government criticizes the Trust for Historic Preservation on political grounds, accusing them of "Trump Derangement Syndrome," while Republican Senator Rand Paul plans to introduce legislation permitting the ballroom's construction.