DOJ calls on National Trust to drop lawsuit against Trump ballroom after dinner shooting

Published April 26, 2026 6:58pm ET | Updated April 27, 2026 7:32am ET



The Department of Justice is urging the National Trust for Historic Preservation to drop its lawsuit against the White House ballroom, arguing it’s more necessary now than ever that the project continues unhindered by legal obstacles after the attack on the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.

One gunman charged a security checkpoint and shot a Secret Service agent in the lobby of the Washington Hilton on Saturday night, just outside of the main room where President Donald Trump, his Cabinet members, their families, and thousands of journalists were gathered for the annual dinner. The shooting has led to Trump and his administration emphasizing the ballroom’s necessity for national security reasons, as it will include a military bunker.

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