The National Trust for Historic Preservation refused to drop its lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s planned White House ballroom, even after calls to end the legal dispute following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner over the weekend.
Trump on Sunday said the dinner shooting would have “never” happened if it were held in the planned ballroom, as it will include a military bunker, and said the venue “cannot be built fast enough.”
Gregory Craig, a lawyer representing the preservation group, said that Trump’s assessment of the incident Saturday is inaccurate, adding that the lawsuit does not put the president’s safety in jeopardy.
“Your assertion that this lawsuit put the President’s life at ‘grave risk’ is incorrect and irresponsible,” Craig wrote in a letter first reported by the Washington Post. “Simply put, this case does not jeopardize the President’s safety in any way.”
Craig’s letter is in response to one sent by the Department of Justice, urging the group to drop its lawsuit and allow ballroom construction to resume.
TRUMP DINNER SHOOTING WAS TARGETING ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS, AUTHORITIES BELIEVE
“I hope yesterday’s narrow miss will help you finally realize the folly of a lawsuit that literally serves no purpose except to stop President Trump no matter the cost,” Civil Division Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate wrote in a letter to Craig. “Enough is enough. Your client should voluntarily dismiss this frivolous lawsuit today in light of last night’s assassination attempt on President Trump.”
Shumate had given Craig until 9 a.m. Monday to drop the case, or face action from the DOJ to “dissolve the injunction and dismiss the case.”
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