US Judges Halts White House Ballroom Construction Project

(MENAFN) A U.S. federal judge has ordered a pause on the Trump administration’s White House ballroom construction project, citing the need for congressional authorization for the $400 million endeavor.

As stated by reports, Judge Richard Leon wrote that “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!”

President Donald Trump argues that existing statutes allow him to carry out the East Wing ballroom project using private funds. However, the National Trust for Historic Preservation contends that no law grants such authority and requested a preliminary injunction to prevent irreparable harm.

Judge Leon agreed with the National Trust, stating, “I have concluded that the National Trust is likely to succeed on the merits because no statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have. As such, I must therefore GRANT the National Trust's Motion for a Preliminary Injunction, and the ballroom construction project must stop until Congress authorizes its completion.”

Following the ruling, Trump criticized the National Trust on his social media platform, calling it “a Radical Left Group of Lunatics.” The project, announced in July last year, aimed to expand the ballroom to over 8,300 square meters, accommodating approximately 1,000 guests, with a projected completion before the end of Trump’s term in 2029.

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