A federal judge denied a preservation group’s request to pause construction on President Trump’s planned White House ballroom, allowing work to continue for now while leaving the door open for a revised lawsuit. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said he was not ruling on the merits of the group’s claims as filed, and invited the National Trust for Historic Preservation to amend its complaint.
The president celebrated the ruling on social media, calling it a victory and saying efforts to stop the ballroom were erased, but Judge Leon did not endorse that sweeping account. Instead, he said the way the lawsuit was presented prevented the court from deciding the underlying legal issues and that an amended filing could prompt a prompt consideration of those matters.
The National Trust argues the administration did not follow required procedures when removing the East Wing and that the project improperly solicited private donations for the roughly $300 million ballroom. The Trust said it was disappointed the court did not grant a preliminary injunction to halt construction but welcomed the judge’s finding that it has standing and his invitation to refile. Carol Quillen, the National Trust president and CEO, said the group will amend its complaint to assert that the president exceeded statutory authority.
The ballroom is designed to seat about 1,000 guests and has long been a priority for Trump. The project has generated controversy and significant public opposition. The Commission of Fine Arts recently voted to approve the plan despite not having seen a final design; commission staff reported receiving more than 2,000 public comments, about 99 percent of them negative.
The White House is also pursuing approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, which is scheduled to review the plans on March 5, with final approvals not expected until April. The administration has said the ballroom could host future inaugurations and large state visits and described the project as being ahead of schedule and under budget.