Halting $400m White House ballroom project is national security risk, Trump officials say

Trump administration officials are arguing that a federal judge's order to halt construction of a $400 million White House ballroom poses a national security risk, according to a motion the National Park Service filed Friday with a federal appeals court asking to pause the ruling. The judge's suspension of the project, which would create a heavily fortified facility, threatens security protections for the president, his family, and staff, NPS lawyers contend. The administration is seeking an emergency stay of the construction halt while the appeals process moves forward. The case represents a clash between the Trump administration's plans for the executive residence and judicial oversight of the project, which had faced a legal challenge.