Judge halts above-ground construction of Trump's White House ballroom

The judge allows the underground bunker portion of the project to proceed, while the US president says the ballroom "is needed now".

President Donald Trump criticized a federal judge's decision to block above-ground construction of a $400 million White House ballroom, allowing only below-ground work on security facilities.

After a federal judge blocked the construction of a $400 million ballroom at the White House, President Donald Trump issued a lengthy rant criticizing the decision and defending the project's importance for national security.

A U.S. judge has halted the construction of Donald Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom, ruling that the president lacks authority to fund the project through private donations and requiring congressional approval.