U.S. judge halts construction of Trump's $400M White House ballroom
Listen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.A U.S. federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Trump administration to suspend its construction of a $400 million US ballroom on the site where it demolished the East Wing of the White House, barring construction work from proceeding without congressional approval.U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington granted a preservationist group's request for a preliminary injunction that temporarily halts President Donald Trump's White House ballroom project.Leon, who was nominated to the bench by former Republican president George W. Bush, concluded that the National Trust for Historic Preservation is likely to succeed on the merits of its claims because "no statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have." The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!- Judge Richard Leon "The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!" the judge wrote.In a statement, Carol Quillen, president and CEO of the National Trust, welcomed Leon’s ruling.“This is a win for the American people on a project that forever impacts one of the most beloved and iconic places in our nation,” Quillen said.Leon suspended enforcement of his order for 14 days, acknowledging that the case "raises novel and weighty issues, that halting an ongoing construction project "may raise logistical issues." He also recognized that the administration is likely to appeal his decision, which it did just hours later, to the Washington-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Rubble is piled as demolition continues on the East Wing of the White House, Oct. 22, 2025, in Washington, before construction of a ballroom. (Jacquelyn Martin/The Associated Press )The judge ruled that any construction work that's necessary to ensure the safety and security of the White House is exempt from the scope of the injunction. Leon said he reviewed material that the government privately submitted to him before concluding that halting construction wouldn't jeopardize national security.Trump, in a social media post, criticized the trust for suing him over a project that he said is being built at no cost to taxpayers. "Doesn't make much sense, does it?" he wrote.The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.WATCH | Trump demolishes the East Wing:U.S. President Donald Trump now plans to demolish the entire East Wing of the White House after saying previously that the current building would not be ‘interfered with’ during the now $300-million US renovation. Administration sources say the demolition will be finished by the weekend.The preservationists sued to obtain an order pausing the ballroom project until it undergoes multiple independent reviews and receives congressional approval.The White House announced the ballroom project over the summer. By late October, Trump had demolished the East Wing to make way for a ballroom that he said would fit 999 people. The White House said private donations, including from Trump himself, would pay for the planned construction of a 90,000-square-foot ballroom.Trump proceeded with the project before seeking input from a pair of federal review panels, the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts. Trump has stocked both commissions with allies.WATCH | How Trump is leaving his mark:U.S. President Donald Trump’s name is showing up everywhere in Washington — from changes to U.S. currency to federal buildings and even new programs. Critics are arguing that the "Trumpification" of Washington crosses a line between public service and personal branding.On Feb. 26, Leon rejected the preservationist group's initial bid to temporarily halt the ballroom's construction. He said the privately funded group had based its challenge on a "ragtag group" of legal theories and would have a better chance of success if it amended the lawsuit, which it did.The administration has said above-ground construction on the ballroom would begin in April."We are two weeks away," plaintiffs' attorney Thaddeus Heuer said during a March 17 hearing. "The imminence is now imminent."
