Exclusive
US-South Korea Alliance Faces a Test beyond Political Rhetoric US-South Korea Alliance Faces a Test beyond Political Rhetoric RECAP: Asia Sentinel Stories for August 2026 RECAP: Asia Sentinel Stories for August 2026 Taiwan’s Habit of Releasing Soldiers’ Full Names Seems Risky Taiwan’s Habit of Releasing Soldiers’ Full Names Seems Risky
Current Affairs

US Justice Department seeks to lift injunction on Trump’s ballroom project after shooting

The US Justice ⁠Department has again asked a ⁠federal judge to lift an injunction holding up progress on President Donald Trump’s ballroom project, saying Saturday’s…

By Samantha Johnson / May 25, 2026
The US Justice ⁠Department has again asked a ⁠federal judge to lift an injunction holding up progress on President Donald Trump’s ballroom project, saying Saturday’s shooting outside the White House showed an urgent need for improved security.

The Justice Department, in ‌a five-page court filing on Sunday, said the incident underscores the critical need for “top level, state of the art security at the White House, including the ballroom”, adding that it was vital for national security. It also asks for the lawsuit challenging the project to ⁠be dismissed.

The court filing stated: “This is a terrible, tremendously harmful case to the United ‌States of America, and all it stands for!”

Advertisement

US District Judge Richard Leon, an appointee of former president George W. Bush ‌sitting in Washington, ruled in April that Trump lacked legal authority ⁠to build the ⁠ballroom without congressional approval.

Leon issued an injunction that halted “above-ground construction of the planned ballroom”, but his ‌order was quickly put on hold by an appeal court. Construction has continued.

Advertisement

The Justice Department had previously ‌asked ‌Leon to dissolve his injunction and throw out the lawsuit over the ‌ballroom after a foiled attack at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner ⁠in April. Leon has not acted on that request.

Don't Miss: