U.S. federal judge Richard Leon has temporarily blocked construction of a proposed White House ballroom, handing a legal victory to preservation advocates who argued the project violates federal law.
Leon ruled in favor of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, stating that the president does not have the authority to proceed without congressional approval. In his decision, Leon wrote that “no statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have.” The injunction immediately halts construction but includes a 14-day delay in enforcement, allowing time for an appeal. “I will therefore delay enforcement of the injunction for fourteen days,” Leon noted in his ruling.
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Shortly after the decision, the Department of Justice filed a notice of appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, formally challenging the preliminary injunction. The proposed structure, spanning roughly 90,000 square feet, features Greco-Roman architectural elements, according to White House plans shared earlier this year.
The lawsuit centers on whether the administration needed congressional authorization before moving ahead with the ballroom project. The preservation group argued that any significant modification to the White House grounds requires approval from lawmakers. Leon agreed, emphasizing in his opinion that construction could resume if Congress explicitly authorized the project or allocated funding.
Donald Trump sharply criticized the ruling and the group behind the lawsuit in posts on Truth Social. He called the organization a “Radical Left Group of Lunatics” and defended the project’s merits.
“The National Trust for Historic Preservation sues me for a Ballroom that 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,” Trump wrote.
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In another post, Trump rejected the need for congressional approval, arguing that such authorization “has never been given” for similar White House construction projects, “big or small.” He also clarified that private donations and not taxpayer funds are financing the ballroom.
The legal battle adds to a broader slate of renovation and beautification efforts in Washington, D.C., led by Trump since returning to office. This includes projects tied to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and upgrades around the National Mall.