A nonprofit organisation tasked by the US Congress with helping preserve historic sites has sued the White House to stop construction on President Donald Trump's new ballroom.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed the suit on Friday, arguing that the White House failed to seek necessary reviews before demolishing the historic East Wing in October.

"No president is legally allowed to tear down portions of the White House without any review whatsoever — not President Trump, not President Joe Biden, and not anyone else," the lawsuit says.

The White House has called the project a "much needed and exquisite addition".

The lawsuit represents the first major legal challenge to the ballroom project.

The organisation is asking a federal court in Washington DC to halt construction on the addition until the White House "complies with the law by going through the legally mandated review processes", including a public comment public period, according to a statement.

"The White House is arguably the most evocative building in our country and a globally recognized symbol of our powerful American ideals," said Carol Quillen, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit organisation created in 1949 with a congressional charter.

The group said it was "compelled" to go to court after the White House ignored concerns it raised in October.

In the lawsuit, the group argues that the White House broke the law by beginning construction without filing plans with the National Capital Planning Commission, by not seeking an environmental assessment of the project, and by declining to seek authorisation from Congress.

It also alleges Trump is violating the US Constitution, "which reserves to Congress the right to dispose of and make all rules regarding property belonging to the United States".

The White House said in a statement responding to the lawsuit on Friday that "President Trump has full legal authority to modernize, renovate, and beautify the White House - just like all of his predecessors did."

The East Wing was demolished in October to make way for Trump's multi-million dollar ballroom, which he says is being paid for by private donors.

Since then, the proposed blueprint has expanded from a ballroom with a capacity of 500 people to a space that can fit 1,350 guests.

The White House had pledged previously that its construction plan would be assessed by the National Capital Planning Commission before building began, but the lawsuit claims that the site is already undergoing extensive construction.

The lawsuit describes the White House grounds as "a bustling construction site, with dozens of workers driving piles, stockpiling materials, and amassing heavy machinery.

"Just last week, a towering construction crane was erected on the White House grounds, and President Trump recounted that work on the Ballroom Project was audible all night."

Last week, the White House replaced the architect overseeing the project. The previous lead architect had reportedly clashed with Trump officials over the size and scope of the addition.

On Thursday night, Trump, a former real estate developer, promised that the ballroom would be built before he leaves office in 2028.

"You know, for 150 years, they've been trying to do a ballroom," Trump said at the Congressional Ball.

"They never got it up, but we got it off. In a very short period of time, like about a year and a half, you're going to have the best ballroom anywhere in the country."

Update news