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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIs Trump Now Personally Dictating DOJ's Filings?
Once you cross the line of running the DOJ out of the White House, then who really needs DOJ leaders other than as figureheads. And if theyre only figureheads, then why not dictate to them the exact words to use in their legal filings on your behalf.
That seems to be the line we crossed last night with a new filing in the vanity ballroom case that reads like a Trump Truth Social post or one of those interminable digressions in his two-hour campaign speeches.
For context, the plaintiff challenging the legality of demolishing the East Wing of the White House and constructing a ballroom-bunker without approval from Congress using corruption-prone private donations is the do-good National Trust for Historic Preservation, an exemplary organization.
The Trump-dictated filing, which Chris Geidner was all over last night when it was first filed, begins by calling the the National Trusts name FAKE in all caps, declares it very bad for our Country, and accuses it of suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, commonly called TDS:
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo/is-trump-now-personally-dictating-dojs-filings
I wonder if trump wrote this
— Molly Jong-Fast (@mollyjongfast.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T14:43:58.597Z
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
dalton99a
(94,918 posts)Ocelot II
(131,015 posts)exclamation points and words like FAKE, Blanche and his minions are doing it on their own so Himself will be sufficiently pleased by their work. It's the lawyers' equivalent of wearing gifted Florsheim shoes that don't fit - accepting the humiliation of writing a memorandum that would get a law student an F in a first-year legal writing class.
It's interesting that they are asking for an indicative ruling, which is a way to ask the district court to act on a matter over which it has no jurisdiction because it's being appealed. So the court has the option of deferring consideration of the motion, denying it, or stating that it would grant the motion if the court of appeals remands for that purpose or that the motion raises a substantial issue. In other words, Blanche wants the district court to tell the Court of Appeals that it would grant their motion if it had jurisdiction, so the case should be remanded for that purpose in light of the "assassination attempt" (that occurred on a different floor of the hotel and was promptly thwarted by security without the need for 7" thick bulletproof windows).
enough
(13,768 posts)stumpysbear
(285 posts)Wednesdays
(22,941 posts)LetMyPeopleVote
(181,155 posts)The legal filing, which resembles Trumps Truth Social posts, comes as the president and his allies ramp up their efforts to complete the project.
Link to tweet
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/04/28/trump-ballroom-filing-national-trust-lawsuit
The Justice Departments motion unusually written for a government legal filing, containing dubious claims and resembling Trumps Truth Social posts was one of several documents filed to the court late Monday night. The motion also criticizes the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the nonprofit that brought the lawsuit, writing that the groups name is FAKE and claiming that they suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome, commonly referred to as TDS. The motion calls the ballroom a gift to the country because Trump plans to pay for it with private donations and boasts about the presidents capabilities.
Because it is DONALD J. TRUMP, a highly successful real estate developer, who has abilities that others dont, especially those who assume the Office of President, this frivolous and meritless lawsuit was filed, the Justice Department lawyers write.
Notably, none of the administration attorneys who have previously appeared or argued the case signed the motion, which was only signed by Trump political appointees. Trump posted screenshots of the motion on his Truth Social account on Tuesday morning......
The National Trust on Monday said that it would not drop its lawsuit, contending that its challenge is focused on whether the president has the executive authority to unilaterally demolish parts of the White House and build new facilities, and not related to national security. It also noted that the group had consistently called for any court injunction to allow continued construction of any underground bunker, and called for the Justice Department to tone down its language.
Your assertion that this lawsuit puts the Presidents life at grave risk is incorrect and irresponsible, Gregory Craig, a Foley Hoag lawyer representing the National Trust, wrote to the Justice Department in a letter shared with The Washington Post.
I was not surprised that no regular DOJ lawyer signed this filing. This filing was signed only by trump political appointees. No competent and sane attorney would sign this filing
onenote
(46,204 posts)All have represented Trump before joining the DOJ: Blanche, Woodward and McCotter. They don't need to have Trump write the brief -- they know exactly how he thinks and what it takes to keep him happy.
Ocelot II
(131,015 posts)They obviously don't mind humiliating themselves in service of Dear Leader.