Trump says if he simply plows ahead with an illegal project, it's a done deal

[bigtree]

...and if we complain we're "obstructionists."

In December, the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit against Trump and several federal agencies aimed at halting the construction of Trump's planned ballroom, saying it had not gone through a review process, had not completed an adequate environmental assessment or sought congressional authorization.

Trump said the project was well underway to halt now, listing a number of materials that are in the process of being procured.

"All of the Structural Steel, Windows, Doors, A.C./Heating Equipment, Marble, Stone, Precast Concrete, Bulletproof Windows and Glass, Anti-Drone Roofing, and much more, has been ordered (or is ready to be), and there is no practical or reasonable way to go back," he wrote. "IT IS TOO LATE! Why didn’t these obstructionists and troublemakers bring their baseless lawsuit much earlier?"

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/01/25/white-house-ballroom-lawsuit-trump/88350502007/

...that's not the legal expectation of Americans who go ahead and tear down or build something in violation of laws or regulations, neglecting to consult authorities who are in charge of regulating those projects.

The remedy is almost always that the offenders are ordered to take the structures down or remove the renovations which don't comply with existing codes.

The hook his lawyers are using here is that there was a perfectly good bomb shelter under the East Wing that was destroyed, and now we're supposedly obligated to build him a new one.

In court filings by the Trump administration in response to the lawsuit, Matthew Quinn, the deputy director of United States Secret Service, said that unless the remaining work is completed, the Secret Service’s ability to protect the president, first family and the White House complex would be "hampered."
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/01/22/white-house-ballroom-construction-judge-decide/88302863007/

I mean, he tore out the defenses that were good enough for every other president; he did that to himself, to the office of the presidency, and the reckoning for that offense is to be borne by the American people, instead.

I had a similar thought when I heard his plane broke down on the way to Davos, wondering if this was going to be a ruse to claim he needed the Qatar bribe jet now.

Or, he'll break the country and claim he gets to build a new one in its place, which is what we're essentially experiencing.

In this case, the remedy that the rest of us would be subjected to is a reversal of course, to remove the illegal project and, only resume building again (if allowed to) ,thereafter, under the laws and regulations that exist.

Back Trump the hell up.

None of his supposed purchases of trinkets for his dream palace have anything to do with the direction or intention of Americans; they've been bulled through to thwart the will of the people, and to thwart the laws that are intended to regulate changes to the people's house; laws and regulations that are intended to keep megalomaniacs like him in check.

[yellow dahlia]

1. They demolished the bomb shelter also?

What Russian birdie got him to think that was a good idea? So right now the "leadership" of this country is vulnerable?

And btw, I had the same thought when AF1 had some issues the other day.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

2. Just like the way they deport people after judges tell them not to

[Initech]

3. Fuck him and his bullshit. We live in a democracy.

We've fought this war already. The Nazis lost. We don't need to continue this discussion further.