A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Trump administration to stop building a $400 million ballroom at the White House, ruling that President Donald Trump lacks the authority to fund or proceed with the project without congressional approval.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon granted a preliminary injunction sought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, temporarily blocking further work on the 90,000-square-foot addition after the East Wing was demolished last year.
Leon, appointed to the bench by Republican President George W. Bush, concluded the group is likely to prevail because “no statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have,” the Associated Press reported.
“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!” Leon wrote in his 35-page ruling issued Tuesday afternoon.
He added that the administration must cite a specific law that authorized the demolition of the East Wing annex without congressional approval.
The White House did not immediately respond to the decision.
Leon rejected the administration’s claim that the President has broad power to alter the White House and that Congress implicitly authorized the project by providing funds for maintenance and alterations.
In a February 2 court filing, Justice Department lawyers had argued, “This is not a circumvention of the appropriations process — it is a funding mechanism that Congress knowingly authorized and has long been aware is available to support projects on White House grounds,” The Washington Post reported.
During a March 17 hearing, Leon called that position “brazen,” given the project’s scale. He also dismissed comparisons to smaller construction at national parks, saying the White House “is a special place” and “an iconic symbol of this nation,” per The Post.
The ruling came after Leon in February denied an initial request for an injunction but urged the National Trust to refine its legal challenge. The group filed an amended complaint the next day.
Trump has made the ballroom a priority, saying Presidents need a permanent space to host VIP guests and expressing hope that events could be held there before his term ends. The planned structure would be nearly twice the size of the 55,000-square-foot executive mansion and would represent the most significant alteration to the White House complex in decades.
The White House has said the project would be paid for entirely through private donations, including from Trump himself.
The National Trust sued in December, arguing the project was illegal without public review and explicit congressional authorization. Its lawyers wrote in January court filings that “rather than admit that none exists, the Defendants invent a Rube Goldberg machine” to justify moving forward.
Leon echoed those concerns and expressed skepticism about the administration’s shifting legal theories. He also questioned the national-security rationale offered by Justice Department attorneys, who warned that any delay could imperil the President. After reviewing classified material submitted by the government, Leon concluded that construction necessary for the White House’s safety and security could continue, but the ballroom work itself must stop.
The judge suspended enforcement of his order for 14 days to allow time for an expected appeal, noting the case involves “novel and weighty issues” and that halting ongoing construction could create logistical problems. Administration lawyers had said they would appeal any injunction immediately.
The project has drawn scrutiny over oversight and potential influence. Democrats and watchdog groups have raised questions about major corporate donors — including Amazon, Google, and Palantir, which hold billions of dollars in federal contracts — and whether they might receive special access in return. Some Democrats have said renovating the White House grounds could be valuable, but have argued the ballroom should be smaller and subject to congressional review.
The White House announced the ballroom plan last summer and began demolition of the East Wing by late October, before seeking formal input from federal review panels. The Commission of Fine Arts approved the design on February 19. The National Capital Planning Commission is scheduled to vote on April 2.
Above-ground construction had been expected to begin in April. At the March 17 hearing, the preservationists’ attorney, Thaddeus Heuer, told Leon, per AP, “We are two weeks away. The imminence is now imminent.”
On Sunday, March 29, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that the ballroom project also includes plans for a massive underground complex being constructed by the U.S. military, prompting speculation that the space could be used as an Emergency Operations Center.
“…The ballroom essentially becomes a shed for what’s being built under the military, including from drones and including from any other thing,” Trump stated.
He noted that the military aspect of the project had been top secret, but had been exposed “because of a stupid lawsuit.”