White House Ballroom Blocked, A federal judge has dealt a sharp legal blow to President Donald Trump. On Tuesday, US. District Judge Richard Leon blocked the $400 million White House ballroom project. He ruled that Trump lacks clear legal authority to build it.
Furthermore, Leon concluded that no law “comes close” to granting the president such power without congressional approval. Therefore, he issued a preliminary injunction to stop all above-ground construction. However, he suspended enforcement for 14 days to allow an appeal.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed the original lawsuit in December. Additionally, the judge concluded the group will likely win its case on the merits. As a result, he granted the injunction in their favor.
Notably, Trump demolished the White House East Wing in late October to make room for the 90,000-square-foot ballroom, which seats 999 people. Moreover, the project attracted massive opposition, 99% of more than 2,000 public comments opposing it.
Nevertheless, the Trump administration immediately announced plans to appeal the ruling. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice filed the appeal shortly after. Still, the judge warned that any above-ground construction within those 14 days “is at risk of being taken down depending on the outcome.”
Consequently, National Trust President Carol Quillen called the ruling “a win for the American people.” On the other hand, Trump fired back on social media, insisting the project runs “under budget, ahead of schedule” and costs taxpayers nothing. Ultimately, Congress must authorize the project before construction can legally proceed.
Washington, D.C. | April 1, 2026 | Sources: CNN, NPR, Washington Post, CNBC
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