President Donald Trump has been dealt a legal blow after a federal judge ruled that his proposed $400 million White House ballroom project cannot move forward. The decision temporarily halts construction and is an update about presidential authority over historic federal property.
Judges make a decision on Donald Trump’s $400 million ballroom
District Judge Richard Leon sided with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which had challenged the project in court. The group argued that Donald Trump exceeded his authority by demolishing the historic East Wing and beginning construction without proper approval.
In his ruling, Leon made it clear that the president does not have unchecked power over the White House. “I have concluded that the National Trust is likely to succeed on the merits because no statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have,” he wrote. He added, “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! Unless and until Congress blesses this project through statutory authorization, construction has to stop!”
The decision means the 90,000 square-foot ballroom project is now paused while the legal case continues. However, the judge clarified that any work tied to the safety and security of the White House can still go ahead. Leon has also given the administration a 14-day window before the order fully takes effect, allowing time for an appeal. The Justice Department has already moved to challenge the ruling in a higher court (via Al Jazeera).
The National Trust welcomed the decision, calling it a win for preserving one of the country’s most iconic buildings. Donald Trump, meanwhile, pushed back strongly. In a Truth Social post, he called the group “lunatics” and defended the ballroom, saying it is “under budget, ahead of schedule, being built at no cost to the Taxpayer, and will be the finest Building of its kind anywhere in the World.”
For now, though, the project’s future depends on whether Congress steps in or the courts decide otherwise.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory.com.
