By Jan Wolfe
April 28 (Reuters) – The Justice Department on Monday night asked a federal judge to throw out a lawsuit that has impeded President Donald Trump’s plans for a White House ballroom, saying its opponents “suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome” and that an alleged assassination attempt on the president showed the project was necessary.
In a nine-page court filing, Justice Department leaders said Saturday’s foiled attack at the White House Correspondents Association dinner demonstrated why a White House ballroom is required for national security.
“If any other President had the ability, foresight, or talents necessary, to build this ballroom, which will be one of the greatest, safest, and most secure structures of its kind anywhere in the World, there would never have been a lawsuit,” Justice Department leaders said in the court filing. “But, because it is DONALD J. TRUMP, a highly successful real estate developer, who has abilities that others don’t, especially those who assume the Office of President, this frivolous and meritless lawsuit was filed.”
The filing said the preservationist group behind the lawsuit is “very bad for our Country,” suffers from “TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME” and “is represented by the lawyer for Barack Hussein Obama.”
The filing asked U.S. District Judge Richard Leon to throw out a lawsuit challenging the ballroom project filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a congressionally chartered nonprofit organization.
Leon, an appointee of George W. Bush sitting in Washington, said earlier this month that he agreed with the nonprofit 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 appeals court, so construction has continued for the time being.
The court filing drew criticism from some legal experts, who said it appeared to mirror the distinctive tone and capitalization Trump has long used in his social media posts.
“‘My client made me write it that way’ is not an excuse for inappropriate language in a legal filing, whether your client is a private citizen or the U.S. president,” said Thomas Berry, a lawyer at the libertarian Cato Institute, on X.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation said Monday that it would not drop its lawsuit, despite the Justice Department’s request.
“We are not planning to voluntarily dismiss our lawsuit, which endangers no one and which respectfully asks the Administration to follow the law,” said a statement from Carol Quillen, the head of the trust.
The man accused of opening fire at the venue of a Washington dinner attended by Trump was charged on Monday with attempting to assassinate the U.S. president and could face life in prison if convicted.
(Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Editing by David Bario and Edward Tobin)
