{"id":321385,"date":"2026-08-14T16:12:41","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T16:12:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/321385\/"},"modified":"2026-08-14T16:12:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T16:12:41","slug":"trump-administration-argues-that-ballroom-construction-is-vital-for-national-security-in-appeal-to-supreme-court-us-politics-live-us-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/321385\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump administration argues that ballroom construction is \u2018vital\u2019 for national security in appeal to supreme court \u2013 US politics live | US news"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Trump administration<\/a>, in its appeal to the supreme court today, said that \u201cthis case involves an extraordinary and unlawful injunction that will halt the ongoing construction of the integrated military complex including a totally secure ballroom space, at the East Wing of the White House, which is vitally required by national security.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s worth noting that the appeals court ruling blocks the above-ground construction of the ballroom, but would allow the work on the underground security structure to continue.<\/p>\n

However, the government argues that \u201cevery part\u201d of the project is \u201can integrated whole geared toward remedying security deficiencies and bringing critical improvements to the White House\u201d.<\/p>\n

The administration add in the filing: \u201cThe entire ballroom structure is designed to shield the military installation beneath it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a010.21 EDT<\/p>\n

Key events<\/p>\n

It\u2019s worth noting that Miller\u2019s Pac has donated to several Republicans<\/a> in competitive House races this midterm cycle. Politico was first to report on the filings.<\/p>\n

These representatives include Tom Barrett, who is fighting to hold on to Michigan\u2019s seventh congressional district. Meanwhile, Bryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mackenzie and Rob Bresnehan all received thousands from the Dependable Conservative Leadership Pac as they defend their central Pennsylvania House seats. The latter two congressman flipped their districts red in 2024.<\/p>\n

Share<\/a>Republican congressman says he will not return thousands from Max Miller’s Pac in wake of domestic abuse allegations<\/p>\n

Mike Lawler, the Republican congressman who represents a purple district in upstate New York, said that he does not plan to return the $10,000 his campaign received from the Max Miller\u2019s Dependable Conservative Leadership Pac. Miller is facing several domestic abuse allegations from his ex-wife, and has faced calls from both parties to end his re-election bid and resign from Congress.<\/p>\n

In an interview on Thursday on CNN, Lawler defended his decision to keep the funds, when pushed by anchor Dana Bash.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know Max very well. I\u2019ve talked to him personally over the last two years about this very difficult family situation. It\u2019s tragic. I don\u2019t think anybody disagrees about that. But this is something that should play out in family court,\u201d Lawler said. \u201cMax has been accused. Max has also made accusations against his ex-wife. It is tragic, and obviously I don\u2019t condone any level of abuse. But ultimately, there has been nothing that has been corroborated here.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Lawler\u2019s most recent campaign finance reports<\/a> he has more than $4.8m cash on hand. When asked why he wouldn\u2019t return the Pac funding, given that it makes up a fraction of his available funds, Lawler said \u201cthe allegations have not been verified\u201d.<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cIf there\u2019s evidence that Max did something, then obviously there should be a thorough investigation of that, but thus far there\u2019s been nothing to verify any of the claims that have been leveled.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Donald Trump also decried the vandalism on the World War II memorial in Washington DC. \u201cTHERE CAN BE NO GREATER INSULT TO THOSE AMERICAN HEROES ,\u201d Trump wrote in an all-caps missive on Truth Social.<\/p>\n

However, the president repeated his claim that another monument, the reflecting pool, was subject to vandalism. This, despite the justice department dropping the charges against David Hearn, the former Olympian accused of ripping part of the pool\u2019s lining off. Jeanine Pirro\u2019s office said in a court filing that the actual cause of the damage was a \u201cbotched\u201d renovation as opposed to vandalism.<\/p>\n

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Edward Helmore<\/p>\n

A woman was arrested on Friday morning in connection with the vandalization of the second world war memorial on the National Mall in Washington DC<\/a>, the capital\u2019s federal prosecutor announced.<\/p>\n

Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, announced mid-morning that a suspect was in custody and had been charged with federal crimes.<\/p>\n

The memorial had graffiti scrawled on it and the pool polluted with soapy bubbles.<\/p>\n

Pirro added that the justice department is filing two felony charges against the suspect, who is now in custody. \u201cOffenses that carry penalties of up to ten years in prison,\u201d Pirro posted on X<\/a>, showing two images of a middle-aged woman, one of her with what appears to be a can of spray-paint at the scene.<\/p>\n

\u201cVandalizing our World War II Memorial is a despicable attack on a sacred monument honoring the Americans who fought and died for our freedom. Those Americans include my father and grandfather,\u201d Pirro added in the post.<\/p>\n

US Park Police had been investigating who graffitied the words \u201cClean hands dirty $\u201d in red paint on the memorial on Washington DC<\/a>\u2019s National Mall for the second world war and vandalized the fountain with soapy bubbles.<\/p>\n

The US interior department said: \u201cThe public should know we will find the person responsible for this disgusting act\u201d and the non-profit Friends of the National World War II Memorial said the site should not be used for political expression.<\/p>\n

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The government\u2019s lawyer added that given the recent attempts on Donald Trump\u2019s life \u2013 which include a shooting at the White House correspondents\u2019 dinner in April \u2013 stalling the \u201cvital construction\u201d of the ballroom will leave Trump \u201cmuch less safe\u201d and ultimately risk \u201cfuture presidents\u2019 safety\u201d.<\/p>\n

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The Trump administration<\/a>, in its appeal to the supreme court today, said that \u201cthis case involves an extraordinary and unlawful injunction that will halt the ongoing construction of the integrated military complex including a totally secure ballroom space, at the East Wing of the White House, which is vitally required by national security.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s worth noting that the appeals court ruling blocks the above-ground construction of the ballroom, but would allow the work on the underground security structure to continue.<\/p>\n

However, the government argues that \u201cevery part\u201d of the project is \u201can integrated whole geared toward remedying security deficiencies and bringing critical improvements to the White House\u201d.<\/p>\n

The administration add in the filing: \u201cThe entire ballroom structure is designed to shield the military installation beneath it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Share<\/a><\/p>\n

Updated at\u00a010.21 EDT<\/p>\n

Trump administration asks supreme court to allow White House ballroom construction to continue<\/p>\n

The Trump administration has asked \u2060the \u2060US supreme court to allow construction of his controversial $400m \u2060White House ballroom to proceed after \u200ban \u200cappeals \u200ccourt ordered<\/a> work to halt.<\/p>\n

In a case testing Donald Trump\u2019s presidential authority, the Washington-based US \u2060court of \u200bappeals for the District of Columbia circuit ruled last week that the controversial \u200cproject lacked the necessary approval from US Congress.<\/p>\n

In a filing, Trump\u2019s administration \u200casked the supreme court justices to keep the \u200bdecision by the US court of appeals for \u2060the District of Columbia \u200bcircuit \u200bon hold \u200bwhile it \u200bprepares \u200ca full \u200bappeal.<\/p>\n

The government has appealed a number of lower court decisions<\/a> to the supreme court this week, in the wake of temporary injunctions over the president\u2019s attempts to curb mail-in voting.<\/p>\n

Share<\/a>USS George Washington reportedly en route to replace USS Abraham Lincoln after accounts of mental health crises and food shortages<\/p>\n

The USS George Washington is en route to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, according to reports. This comes after accounts about mental health crises onboard the Lincoln, including attempts from service members to jump overboard and chronic food shortages.<\/p>\n

The vessel has been on a record-breaking deployment for more than 200 days, after it was redirected to assist with the military operation in Iran.<\/p>\n

Democrats have been demanding answers from the Pentagon in recent days to glean the extent of the issues on board and what is being done to address them. Defense secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday that the reports are \u201ccompletely misrepresented\u201d.<\/p>\n

In response, Democratic lawmakers have pushed back. Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona said that he is in communication with the wife of a service member who has forwarded her husband\u2019s text messages about the conditions on board. \u201cStop lying and fix the problem,\u201d Gallego wrote on social media, in response to Hegseth\u2019s recent comments.<\/p>\n

Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat and navy veteran, told MS NOW on Thursday that he spoke with a woman who is concerned about her grandson, who works as an electrician on board the USS Abraham Lincoln. \u201cHe\u2019s lost 20 to 25 pounds and is struggling with depression. And so-called leaders like Pete Hegseth aren\u2019t doing a thing about it,\u201d Kelly said, while repeating calls for an investigation.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a009.20 EDT<\/p>\n

Trump will be in Washington for closed-press meetings until he heads to New York, to deliver his remarks in Garden City at 3pm ET. We\u2019ll bring you the latest as that gets under way.<\/p>\n

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The United States wants Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly condemn a siege imposed by Jewish settlers in a Palestinian village, US and Israeli officials said on Friday, as settlers pressured residents \u2060by pitching a new tent before \u2060Israeli soldiers arrived and it was \u200btaken down.<\/p>\n

Settlers have been besieging homes in Qusra in the occupied West Bank for almost a week, trapping Palestinians in an area where rights groups say settlers are mounting a concerted effort to seize more land, further eating into territory where Palestinians aim \u2060to establish a state.<\/p>\n

The siege has drawn public US criticism: the US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee \u2013 a strong supporter of Jewish settlement in the West Bank \u2013 on Thursday condemned settlers besieging a Palestinian home as \u201cIsraeli terrorists\u201d.<\/p>\n

A US official and an Israeli official said on Friday White House officials are \u2060pressing Netanyahu to publicly condemn the siege.<\/p>\n

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This week\u2019s Politics Weekly America looks at Trump\u2019s plane ruse. The President departed on a secret military flight from Turkey to Britain last month, prompted by an Iranian assassination threat. Almost everyone believed he was on Air Force One, turns out he wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

You can hear all about the elaborate scheme to protect the President here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Share<\/a>US firms that kept DEI policies despite \u2018go woke, go broke\u2019 threats thrived<\/p>\n

Gaya Gupta<\/p>\n

Conservative backlash was supposed to put an end to the diversity, inclusion and equity (DEI) movement as companies were warned \u201cgo woke, go broke\u201d.<\/p>\n

In January 2025, Donald Trump<\/a> delivered a death knell, ending DEI within the federal government with executive orders and threatening to target companies that still supported it. Companies including Google, Goldman Sachs, McDonald\u2019s and Walmart that had embraced DEI years earlier fell into line and announced an end to their policies.<\/p>\n

But new research published Friday and shared exclusively with the Guardian found that companies that resisted the pressure and kept their DEI practices, including Costco, Apple and Delta Air Lines, performed just as well as their competitors who pulled back.<\/p>\n

You can read the full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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American special operations forces are ready to step up warfighting-readiness exercises with counterparts in the Philippines and other countries in Asia to further strengthen a security alliance and help deter a major conflict in the region, a US military official said Thursday.<\/p>\n

Admiral Frank Bradley, commander of the US Special Operations Command, is in the Philippines after a trip to South Korea. He will then head to Japan for talks with military officials.<\/p>\n

He is the latest American military top brass to visit key Asian allies in recent weeks to reassure them of Washington\u2019s commitment to the region given the US preoccupation with the war in Iran .<\/p>\n

Bradley\u2019s command, which has about 80,000 personnel and is based at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, undertakes the US military\u2019s most sensitive and dangerous covert operations. The majority of his forces are deployed in more than 80 countries worldwide, Bradley said.<\/p>\n

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Russia believes the United States is deeply involved in Ukrainian \u2060attacks against it and has raised the issue with Washington, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in comments broadcast on Friday.<\/p>\n

He said \u2060that the alleged \u2060US support \u200bincluded the supply of intelligence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have submitted a series of questions to the State Department requesting comment, including on the \u2060matter of intelligence data and the fact that the U.S. is far more deeply involved in organizing and executing strikes deep within Russian territory \u2060against civilian targets. We await a response,\u201d Lavrov told state TV.<\/p>\n

No immediate comment was \u200bavailable from the US.<\/p>\n

Share<\/a>Donald Trump to give speech on crime and safety during New York visit<\/p>\n

Hello and welcome to the US politics<\/a> live blog.<\/p>\n

President Donald Trump<\/a> plans to highlight his record on crime and safety during a visit to New York on Friday, pivoting to one of his strongest issues as he looks to boost Republicans in battleground races ahead of the November midterms.<\/p>\n

Trump is visiting the Nassau County Police Academy in suburban Long Island, where the White House said he will release new FBI crime statistics showing a decrease in violent crime for 2025.<\/p>\n

\u201cPresident Trump promised to make America safe again and the data proves he has done just that,\u201d White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said. \u201cUnlike Defund-the-Police Democrats, President Trump will always stand with our law enforcement officers and deliver safer American neighborhoods.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s visit is aimed at boosting Republican candidates in closely contested races across his home state, but just how much his presence will help is in question as he faces lagging approval ratings and a deeply unpopular war in Iran with no end in sight.<\/p>\n

Trump narrowly won Nassau County in 2024, flipping it for Republicans<\/a> for the first time in more than two decades. It\u2019s home to two Democratic House seats that Republicans now see as winnable this fall, and it\u2019s home turf for Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman, the Trump-endorsed Republican challenging Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul.<\/p>\n

In other developments:<\/p>\n

Luigi Mangione, the man accused of gunning down a \u2060health insurance executive, is due in federal court on Friday for a hearing where he is expected to plead guilty to stalking or similar charges. There is more on the story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The battle over the Kennedy Center\u2019s future escalated Thursday as President Donald Trump\u2019s allies on the board took new steps to commemorate him with physical changes to the iconic performing arts institution that could defy a federal court order.<\/p>\n

The Pacific-based aircraft carrier USS George Washington began heading toward the Middle East, according to reports. This comes as Democratic lawmakers have demanded answers of about mental health crises and supply issues aboard the long-deployed USS Abraham Lincoln.<\/p>\n

White \u2060House deputy \u2060national \u2060security adviser Andy \u200bBaker is \u2060leaving the Trump \u2060administration \u200bin \u200cthe coming \u200cweeks, Axios \u200creported on Friday. The White House \u200cdid not respond \u200bto a request \u2060for comment outside \u200bbusiness hours. \u200bThe report has not been independently \u200bverified.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a008.27 EDT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Trump administration, in its appeal to the supreme court today, said that \u201cthis case involves an extraordinary…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":321386,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[9,11,10],"class_list":["post-321385","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-headlines","tag-new-york-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/321385","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=321385"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/321385\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/321386"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=321385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=321385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=321385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}