WASHINGTON —

A new lawsuit alleges that President Donald Trump broke federal law when he fast-tracked a plan to add a ballroom to the White House, leading to the demolition of the East Wing.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded group, is asking a federal judge to block the ballroom project from moving forward until it goes through multiple independent reviews, public comment, and congressional approval. Advertisement

In response, a White House spokesperson insisted that President Trump has "full legal authority to modernize, renovate, and beautify the White House — just like all of his predecessors did."

It's not uncommon for presidents to leave their mark on the White House, but Trump's changes are the most sweeping since the Truman administration, which r

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