The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit on Dec. 12 aimed at blocking the construction of President Donald Trump's new White House ballroom, alleging it is unlawful and asking the court to halt further construction until the plans go through a legally mandated review process.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, names Trump, the National Park Service and several other administration officials involved in a fast-expanding project that already included the demolition of the East Wing and prompted the ire of preservationists and former first ladies including Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama.

"No president is legally allowed to tear down portions of the White House without any review whatsoever – not President Trump, not President Biden, and not anyone else," the lawsuit says. "And no president is legally allowed to construct a ballroom on public property without giving the public the opportunity to weigh in."

The 90,000-square-foot ballroom project has a price tag of $300 million and is expected to accommodate about 1,000 people. That's an increase from earlier plans in July for a ballroom that cost $200 million and would seat 650 people.

The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, which requires reviews of projects that affect historic buildings, exempts the White House, Supreme Court Building and U.S. Capitol.

Carol Quillen, National Trust’s CEO, said in a statement that submitting the project to the National Capital Planning Commission, the only planning body that has reviewing authority over the construction, for review will protect the "iconic historic features" of the White House campus as it progresses.

"Inviting comments from the American people signals respect and helps ensure a lasting legacy that befits a government of the people, by the people, for the people,” she added.

The White House on Dec. 12 rejected the premise of the lawsuit.

“President Trump has full legal authority to modernize, renovate, and beautify the White House – just like all of his predecessors did,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said.

While the lawsuit claims that construction has already begun, the White House has repeatedly said that is not the case. The sound of pile drivers that Trump recently talked about – noting first lady Melania Trump's irritation – was from the still ongoing demolition process, Ingle said.

The Trump White House maintains that the National Capital Planning Commission does not have jurisdiction over demolition of a federal building, only the construction. Under previous administrations, even minor renovations or changes to structures, such as a shed, have gone through a review process.

Will Scharf, the Trump-appointed chairman of the commission, said on Dec. 4 that the White House will be submitting plans for review this month. The commission, which oversees development of federal property in the Washington, DC, region, was not consulted when the East Wing was demolished in October to make way for the ballroom.

Soon after the East Wing demolition began on Oct. 20, Quillen argued that Trump's project “will overwhelm the White House itself,” which is 55,000 square feet, adding, “[The addition] may also permanently disrupt the carefully balanced classical design of the White House with its two smaller, and lower, East and West Wings.”

(This story has been updated with more information.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: National Trust files lawsuit to stop Trump's ballroom construction

Reporting by Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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