A federal judge has temporarily halted plans to build a 90,000‑square‑foot ballroom that would replace the White House East Wing, ruling a preservation group that sued to block the project is likely to win on the merits. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ordered construction stopped after a 14‑day grace period while the legal dispute proceeds, and the administration has said it will appeal.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued in December, arguing the White House did not follow federal preservation procedures before demolishing the East Wing and starting work on the roughly $400 million ballroom, and raising concerns about the largely private funding model. President Trump announced the ballroom last summer, and the East Wing had been demolished by September despite earlier statements that it would remain intact. A U.S. Commission of Fine Arts panel — composed largely of Trump allies — unanimously approved the proposal last month. The National Park Service has said construction could finish by mid‑2028.
Opponents, including congressional Democrats and preservation advocates, say the administration made substantial changes with inadequate public input. The administration defends the project as a useful modernization and framed it as part of normal White House alterations.
Judge Leon had previously allowed work to proceed temporarily in February, finding the initial complaint did not conclusively show the president lacked authority to renovate the White House with private funds and without congressional action. After the National Trust was allowed to pursue a preliminary injunction, Leon expressed skepticism about the Justice Department’s legal arguments and the funding arrangement at a recent hearing.
In his written opinion, Leon rejected the administration’s argument that the ballroom is simply a lawful “alteration” of White House grounds, calling that a strained reading of the law. He emphasized the White House’s symbolic status, writing that the president is steward of the property for future first families but is not the owner, and concluded the project must stop until Congress OKs it.
Leon said three federal statutes vest authority over altering and funding federal property in Congress, not the White House, and noted Congress remains free to authorize the ballroom or approve the funding mechanism. He added that Congress could appropriate money or approve an alternative financing arrangement, preserving legislative oversight of national property and government spending.
Court filings indicate about $400 million was raised from private donors and corporations, including Lockheed Martin, Amazon and Microsoft. The funds were collected by a nonprofit, transferred to the National Park Service and then deposited into an account controlled by the president that is normally used for minor White House repairs. Leon described that financial chain as a complicated contrivance that falls short of clear congressional authorization.
Carol Quillen, president and CEO of the National Trust, said the group was pleased with the ruling and called it a victory for the public over a plan that reshapes an iconic national site.
The ballroom is one element of a wider effort by Trump to leave an architectural imprint on Washington during a second term, including proposed renovations to the Kennedy Center — now the subject of a separate National Trust lawsuit — and a proposed triumphal arch in Virginia. President Trump criticized Leon’s decision as “so wrong,” telling reporters the White House has added features before without congressional approval and arguing that donor‑funded projects are separate.