National Trust launches $10M fund after White House preservation fights

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has launched a campaign to raise $10 million over three years for a new fund supporting legal defense, public advocacy and community action to protect historic sites and preservation laws. The nonprofit says the effort responds to growing threats, including the Trump administration’s White House projects and proposed changes to federal preservation rules. The Trust previously sued to stop construction of a White House ballroom, arguing that it should undergo independent review and receive congressional approval; the Supreme Court recently ruled that the group likely lacked the legal standing to challenge the project, allowing work to proceed. The fund is intended to strengthen the organization’s legal and government-relations work as it takes on preservation disputes in Washington and across the country.