COLUMBUS — On Thursday, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche pledged that the Department of Justice is fully committed to supporting President Trump’s initiative to construct a new ballroom at the White House, despite facing obstacles from both Congress and the judiciary.
In an exclusive interview with The Post, Blanche stated, “The Department of Justice remains dedicated to doing everything within its power to ensure the ballroom’s completion.”
He emphasized the department’s strategy, explaining, “This involves navigating the legal system, filing appeals when necessary, and persuading judges of the critical importance this project holds for the government and the nation.”
During a news conference in Ohio, attended by The Post alongside FBI Director Kash Patel, charges were revealed against nine individuals accused of defrauding taxpayer-funded programs. Among them were Medicaid scammers who allegedly diverted $30 million from children’s behavioral health services to fund extravagant purchases like luxury vehicles.
This crackdown is part of a broader effort by the DOJ and FBI, in collaboration with a White House anti-fraud task force, to tackle fraudulent activities.
Moreover, Blanche and Patel have held press briefings to announce charges against prominent figures and organizations, including the alleged White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooter, which has spurred calls for increased funding for presidential security.
The incident, which rattled cabinet officials and others in attendance, prompted Blanche to pen a letter urging an end to a lawsuit that had for a time delayed the ballroom’s construction at the White House.
“The president says repeatedly — as recently as yesterday — at least twice that the money for the ballroom was funded already and the fact that Congress offered to fund it through a reconciliation,” he said.
“The issue with the ballroom is not funding, and President Trump has said over and over again why we need it. He’s totally right.”
In April, a federal appeals court had allowed the $400 million ballroom project to continue after a lawsuit halted it.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit authorized by Congress to help preserve historic sites, had argued that demolition of the White House’s East Wing to make room for the ballroom’s construction had proceeded “without any review whatsoever.”
The Senate, however, scrapped a provision that would fund $1 billion in security upgrades to the 90,000-square-foot structure — an item that had previously been tucked into a bill intended to pass by a simple majority through a process known as budget reconciliation.
Half a dozen Republican senators on Thursday also voted in favor of forcing the Trump administration to give Congress authority over the project.
Trump had been demanding the upgrades following the 2026 WHCD shooting.
