Congressman Cohen Agrees Trump Does Not Own the White House
Judge says Trump has no broad authority to make White House changes without Congressional approval
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) tonight released a statement after U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington ruled that construction of a White House ballroom must cease until President Trump receives Congressional approval after demolishing the East Wing. The statement reads:
“The court ruled the President doesn’t own the White House but is only its temporary steward. That’s consistent with what I recently wrote in a Letter to the Editor setting the record straight: no president in the past 150 years has sought to build a ballroom at the White House.
“This unprecedented and unnecessary project underscores a broader disregard for history, norms, and the proper role of Congress.
“I would also add the President doesn’t own the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts either. It’s a congressionally designated memorial to the assassinated 35th President of the United States, and it should be treated with the same respect for its purpose and legacy..”
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