AG requests to resume ballroom construction, citing latest shooting

Politics Attorney general files request to resume ballroom construction, citing latest White House shooting By Arden Farhi, Arden Farhi Washington bureau managing editor Arden Farhi is the managing editor for CBS News' Washington bureau. He has covered several presidential campaigns and the Obama, Trump and Biden administrations. His executive producer credits include "The Takeout with Major Garrett" and the CBS News original podcast "Agent of Betrayal," and his work has been recognized with two Emmy Awards, a DuPont Award and a NY Festivals gold medal. Read Full Bio Arden Farhi, Caroline Linton Caroline Linton Associate Managing Editor, Politics Caroline Linton is an associate managing editor on the political team for CBSNews.com. She has previously written for The Daily Beast, Newsweek and amNewYork. Read Full Bio Caroline Linton May 25, 2026 / 10:31 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche asked in a court filing late Sunday to resume construction on the White House ballroom, arguing that the nearby shooting over the weekend underscores the need for security the ballroom will provide. "This second attack on the President this month underscores the critical need for top level, state of the art security at the White House, including the Ballroom, a knitted, unified, cohesive part of the East Wing Project, which is vital for National Security, and is being constructed to ensure that the President can perform his constitutional duties in a safe and heavily secured facility," Blanche said in the court filing. Blanche wrote that without the ballroom, "the President cannot safely conduct the business of the United States."A gunman was killed after allegedly opening fire on a U.S. Secret Service checkpoint near the White House Saturday evening, officials said. Secret Service officers returned fire, hitting the suspect, who later died at a hospital. A bystander was also wounded.A Washington, D.C. district court judge last mon...