In June, Democrats warned that $350 million in funds from a tax cuts law appeared to have been redirected to the White House for security, including the ballroom. Virginia Rep. James Walkinshaw reacted to news that President Donald Trump was seeking $1 billion in taxpayer funds to build the White House ballroom. Attorneys for the preservation group countered that the lack of a White House ballroom doesn’t constitute a national security emergency. In response, the appeals court instructed the judge to reconsider the national security implications of stopping construction. The judge stressed that the White House is free to proceed with underground work, including the construction of any bunkers, military installations and medical facilities.