Judge halts construction of Donald Trump’s $400mn White House ballroom
A federal judge has halted the construction of Donald Trump's $400 million White House ballroom project, ruling that it cannot proceed without congressional approval. Judge Richard Leon stated that the president is the "steward of the White House for future generations of First Families, not the owner," and that no statute gives the president the authority to demolish the East Wing and build a ballroom with private funds .
The judge's decision was in response to a lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argued that Trump exceeded his authority by razing the historic East Wing without congressional approval. The White House has announced plans to appeal the decision, and the judge has suspended his order for 14 days to allow for the appeal process .
The ballroom project, estimated to cost $400 million, was intended to modernize the White House's infrastructure and provide additional space for events. However, critics have argued that the project is an unnecessary extravagance and an overreach of presidential power.