US court blocks Trump ballroom construction
Kyiv • UNN
Judge Richard Leon halted construction of the $400 million facility. Approval from authorities is required to continue work on the East Wing site.
In the US, a judge on Tuesday stated that President Donald Trump cannot build his planned $400 million ballroom on the site of the demolished East Wing of the White House without congressional approval, thereby suspending one of the Republican president's most prominent attempts to change the appearance of the center of American power, UNN reports with reference to Reuters.
Details
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon granted a motion for a preliminary injunction filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a non-profit organization that sued, arguing that Trump exceeded his authority when he demolished the historic East Wing and began construction of the new building.
Leon's decision, appointed by former Republican President George W. Bush, halts the ballroom construction project while the lawsuit is pending.
"What does this give us? Unfortunately for the defendants, until Congress blesses this project through legislative authorization, construction must be stopped!" Leon wrote in his ruling, referring to the administration.
The judge said he was staying his order for 14 days to give the Trump administration an opportunity to appeal. Leon said the order does not affect "construction necessary to ensure the security of the White House." Hours after Leon issued his ruling, the U.S. Department of Justice filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Washington.
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social social media page, called the National Trust a group of left-wing "crazies" and said his ballroom "is being built under budget, ahead of schedule, at no cost to taxpayers, and will be the finest building of its kind in the world."
Carol Quillen, president and CEO of the National Trust, welcomed Leon's decision in a statement.
Trump championed the idea of the ballroom as a defining addition to the White House and an unyielding symbol of his presidency.
Leon's decision was a blow to Trump's Justice Department, which opposed the injunction and defended the ballroom as a permissible change that would modernize the White House grounds.
The National Trust sued Trump and several federal agencies in December after the administration demolished the East Wing — originally built in 1902 and expanded four decades later during Franklin Roosevelt's presidency — to make way for Trump's ballroom.
The National Trust is also a plaintiff in a related lawsuit challenging the administration's decision to renovate the Kennedy Center concert hall in Washington.
The administration said the ballroom would modernize infrastructure, enhance security, and reduce the burden on the presidential residence, which often uses temporary outdoor structures for large events.
Officials emphasize that the project is fully funded by private donors.
In his ruling, Leon stated that no federal law even "comes close" to giving the president the right to demolish the East Wing and build a ballroom with private funds.
"The President of the United States is the guardian of the White House for future generations of first families. However, he is not its owner!" Leon wrote.
Asked about the decision at an Oval Office event on Tuesday, Trump told reporters that Leon was "totally wrong" in claiming the project needed congressional approval.
"A lot of things have been built in the White House," Trump said. "But that didn't get congressional approval, especially when the money isn't coming from taxpayers."
In February, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, composed entirely of Trump appointees, voted 6-0 to approve the project.
The ballroom is part of a larger Trump initiative to transform monumental downtown Washington, which also includes plans for a 76-meter arch and changes to the Kennedy Center.
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