A federal judge on Tuesday ordered an immediate halt to President Donald Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom construction, ruling that the president lacks the constitutional authority to unilaterally overhaul the historic executive mansion.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon granted a preliminary injunction in favor of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The decision effectively freezes a project that has already seen the demolition of the historic East Wing to make way for a 90,000-square-foot “passion project.”
In a pointed 15-page ruling, Judge Leon—a George W. Bush appointee—asserted that the presidency does not confer personal ownership of federal property.
“The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations,” Leon wrote. “He is not, however, the owner! Unless and until Congress blesses this project through statutory authorization, construction has to stop.”
The ruling emphasizes that Article IV of the Constitution grants Congress, not the executive, the power to dispose of and regulate federal territory and property. While Trump claims the project utilizes private funds and donor contributions, the court maintained that the location remains a public trust subject to legislative oversight.
Minutes after the decision became public, President Trump took to Truth Social to lambaste the injunction. He defended the project as being “under budget, ahead of schedule,” and “the finest Building of its kind anywhere in the World.”
“Doesn’t make much sense, does it?” Trump wrote, questioning the standing of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The project has faced escalating scrutiny since the East Wing’s demolition in October 2025. Costs have reportedly doubled from initial estimates, and the President recently replaced the project’s lead architect.
The legal battle takes on added weight following Trump’s remarks on Sunday, March 29. While speaking to reporters on Air Force One, the President revealed that the U.S. military is currently constructing a “massive complex” beneath the ballroom site.
“We’re ahead of schedule with the ballroom,” Trump stated, comparing the construction pace to foreign policy objectives in Iran.
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This underground military component was not part of the initial public proposal, raising fresh questions about the project’s true scope and the transparency of the administration’s use of military resources on White House grounds.
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The injunction remains in place until a full trial or until the administration secures explicit authorization from Congress. While Judge Leon noted that Trump could seek a legislative “blessing” to resume, the current divided Congress makes a swift resolution unlikely.
For now, the site remains a dormant construction zone in the heart of the nation’s capital.
