Judge temporarily halts construction of Trump's White House ballroom

The Republican-appointed judge ruled that Trump was the "steward" of the White House, but not the "owner".

A federal judge has temporarily halted President Trump's controversial plan to construct a massive ballroom where the White House's historic East Wing once stood. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon emphasized that Trump is the 'steward,' not the 'owner,' of the White House, ruling that the $400 million project cannot proceed without congressional approval.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration's construction of a 90,000-square-foot ballroom to replace the White House's East Wing. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled that a legal challenge brought by a preservation group that sued to block President Trump's construction project was likely to succeed on the merits, because 'no statute' the government used to justify the construction 'comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have.'

A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Trump administration to suspend its construction of a $400 million ballroom 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.

A federal judge ruled Congress must sign off on the addition to the president’s home, which is being built by Clark Construction and engineered by AECOM.

President Donald Trump lashed out at U.S. District Judge Richard Leon after the judge issued a preliminary injunction halting construction of a $400 million privately funded White House ballroom. The National Trust Preservation Committee filed the lawsuit, arguing that Trump lacked the authority to move forward without Congressional approval and public input, especially after demolishing the historic East Wing. Judge Leon sided with the Trust, stating no statute grants the president the authority he claimed and emphasizing the president is merely a steward of the White House, not its owner.

A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration's $400 million White House ballroom construction project, citing the lack of congressional authorization. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon granted the preliminary injunction in response to a lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The project had already involved demolishing the East Wing of the White House, raising significant concerns about historical preservation.