A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s plan to build a 90,000‑square‑foot ballroom replacing the White House East Wing, finding a preservation group that sued to stop the project was likely to prevail on the merits.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said none of the statutes the government relied on “comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have,” and ordered work halted after 14 days while the legal dispute continues. The administration has said it will appeal.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued in December, alleging the White House failed to follow federal preservation guidelines before tearing down the East Wing and beginning work on the $400 million ballroom, and questioned the project’s funding mechanism, which is largely private donations. Trump announced the project last summer; the East Wing had been demolished by September despite prior statements that the structure would remain intact. A panel of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, populated largely by Trump allies, unanimously approved the proposal last month. The National Park Service has estimated construction could finish by mid‑2028.
Critics, including congressional Democrats and preservation groups, argued the administration made major changes with insufficient public input. The administration defended the addition as a useful update and one in a long line of White House alterations.
In February, Leon had allowed construction to proceed temporarily, concluding the initial complaint did not fully establish that the president lacked authority to renovate the White House with private funds and without congressional action. After the National Trust was permitted to pursue a preliminary injunction, Leon expressed skepticism at a recent hearing about the Justice Department’s legal defense and the funding arrangement.
Leon criticized the administration’s characterization of the ballroom as a lawful “alteration” of White House grounds as a “brazen interpretation of the laws of vocabulary,” and emphasized the symbolic importance of the property: “This isn’t any national park… This is an iconic symbol of this nation.” In his written opinion he stated, “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!” and concluded the project “must stop until Congress authorizes its completion.”
The judge found three federal statutes vest Congress — not the White House — with authority over altering and funding federal property, and said Congress remains free at any time to authorize the ballroom or accept the funding scheme. He wrote that Congress could also appropriate funds or approve some alternative funding arrangement, preserving legislative oversight of national property and government spending.
Court records show Mr. Trump says he raised about $400 million from private donors and corporations, including Lockheed Martin, Amazon and Microsoft. The money was collected by a nonprofit, transferred to the National Park Service, 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 “Rube Goldberg” contraption and said it falls well short of explicit congressional authorization.
Carol Quillen, president and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said the group was “pleased” with the ruling, calling it a win for the American people over a project that reshapes an iconic national site.
The ballroom is part of a broader effort by Trump to leave an architectural mark on Washington during his second term, including plans to renovate the Kennedy Center — now the subject of a separate lawsuit by the National Trust — and a proposed triumphal arch across the river in Virginia.
Mr. Trump criticized Leon’s opinion as “so wrong,” telling reporters the White House has built features before without congressional approval and that projects funded by donations are “totally separate.”