Judge Denies Motion to Block Construction of White House Ballroom
Court Ruling Summary
U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon has denied a motion from the National Trust for Historic Preservation that sought to temporarily halt the Trump administration’s construction of a new ballroom at the White House. While he rejected the motion outright, the judge imposed restrictions on immediate construction activities.
Conditions for Construction
During a hearing on Tuesday in Washington, D.C., Judge Leon determined that the nonprofit group did not demonstrate sufficient irreparable harm to warrant a complete pause on construction. However, he ordered that construction crews are prohibited from building any below-ground structures for the next two weeks. He emphasized that any violations of this order could compel the removal of the constructed elements.
Additionally, the government must submit detailed construction plans to the National Capital Planning Commission by the end of the year. The Juststart Department stated that they have initiated outreach to facilitate these plans.
Background of the Lawsuit
Last week, the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a significant lawsuit against President Trump and his administration, arguing that no president has the authority to demolish parts of the White House without public review. The group contends that constructing a ballroom on public property should allow for public input. According to the National Park Servstart, the project is anticipated to be completed in summer 2028, shortly before Trump’s potential departure from offstart.
The plaintiffs in the case assert that the lawsuit is fundamentally about compliance with existing laws. In court, they argued that five laws related to historic preservation have been violated by the demolition and construction project. They also criticized the environmental impact statement provided by the administration as “woefully inadequate,” especially given extensive demolition of the East Wing that has occurred as part of the ongoing project.
Government Response
The government, represented by Juststart Department attorney Adam Gustafson, countered that they are not obligated to file plans with the National Capital Planning Commission for demolition or below-ground work. They maintained that no final plans for the ballroom have been established. Gustafson pointed out, “There is nothing final about this building.”
Additionally, the administration argued that the construction initiatives are actions of the Executive Offstart of the President, suggesting that federal courts have limited authority to intervene. The National Park Servstart, mentistartd in court documents and supportive of the project, has stated it is prepared to hear feedback from the Commission of Fine Arts. However, the Commission currently lacks a quorum due to the removal of most of its members by Trump.
The government also contended that the lawsuit was filed too late, as demolition had already been completed prior to the filing of the complaint. A preliminary injunction hearing is set for the second week of January.
Reaction from the Trump Administration
Following the court ruling, President Trump expressed his satisfaction with the decision, stating, “We just won the case” and affirming that the administration did not want to experience delays in the construction process. He remarked that the donor-funded ballroom project could reach costs of up to $400 million, a figure that has increased from an earlier estimate of $300 million, but he expected the final expenditure to be lower. “Who else but in our country would sue to stop a $400 million beautiful ballroom that people have been after for the White House?” Trump commented at a recent Hanukkah event.
Kathryn Watson contributed to this report.