Judge says Trump White House ballroom construction can proceed for now

A federal judge declined to stop President Donald Trump’s plan to build a $400 million White House ballroom at the site of the since-demolished East Wing, saying preservationists challenging the move failed to meet the high bar to halt the project for now.

U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Leon’s ruling comes after the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit in December against Trump and several federal agencies asking to stop construction on the 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The nonprofit group argued that Trump should have sought Congress’s authorization prior to the demolition of the East Wing.

The judge said the group did not sufficiently prove the president was exceeding his powers. Rather, it based its challenge “on a ragtag group of theories” under federal law and the Constitution. Still, he said the court would consider additional efforts if the group decides to amend its complaint.

Trump celebrated the verdict calling it “Great news for America” in a Truth Social post on Thursday.

“The Judge on the case of what will be the most beautiful Ballroom anywhere in the World, has just thrown out, and completely erased, the effort to stop its construction,” he said. “As everyone knows, not one dollar of Taxpayer money is being spent, but rather, all money necessary to build this magnificent building is being put up by Patriot Donors and Contributors.”

Leon had predicted last month that his verdict wouldn’t be the end of the saga.

“I know it will be appealed. Whichever side wins, the other side will appeal,” Leon said. “So this case is going to go to the DC Circuit, for certain, and, maybe, perhaps even to the Supreme Court. Who knows?”

On Feb. 19, the Commission of Fine Arts, a panel whose members were all appointed by Trump last month, unanimously approved a plan for a 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom, clearing one of the hurdles on the controversial project.

And on March 5, the National Commission on Capital Planning , or NCPC, the central planning agency of the federal government, is holding a public hearing. The 12-member commission, the majority of whom are Trump-appointed allies, will also vote on the project on the same day.

The White House announced the construction in July and by October had launched a sudden and complete clearing of the East Wing to make way for the ballroom, sparking concern from critics, preservationists and a few former residents, including former first ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton.

During a hearing last month, Leon questioned whether the president has the authority to level the East Wing and construct the ballroom using a complicated funding setup with private money while avoiding congressional authorization.

Trump’s team countered in court that the president did not need approval from lawmakers because the project is not using taxpayer dollars and instead is being funded by private donation.

Democratic lawmakers have raised alarm about accepting funds from companies with business before the federal government.

“Trump’s gold-encrusted ballroom has become a vehicle for corruption,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Donors include Palantir, Lockheed Martin and Meta, according to a list provided by the White House. The Trust for the National Mall, a nonprofit organization, is managing the $400 million in donations for the project.

At 90,000 square feet of new construction, Trump’s project “will overwhelm the White House itself,” which is 55,000 square feet, said National Trust for Historic Preservation CEO Carol Quillen, adding: “(The addition) may also permanently disrupt the carefully balanced classical design of the White House with its two smaller, and lower, East and West Wings.”

Trump’s project has gone through various changes since the White House first announced its plans in July, including financing, seating capacity and cost. The price tag jumped from $200 million to $400 million, and the ballroom is now expected to accommodate 1,000 people.

The NCPC earlier this month posted new renderings of the East Wing submitted by the architect Shalom Baranes. The renderings, which showed an imposing new East Wing roughly a city block long, would be longer than the West Wing and almost completely obfuscating the view of the Treasury Building from the White House’s South Lawn.

“It will stand long into the future as a symbol to the Greatness of America!” Trump said on Truth Social following the ruling.