US judge orders Trump to halt $516m White House ballroom project, for now

WASHINGTON – A US judge blocked Mr Donald Trump on March 31 from proceeding with the construction of a US$400 million (S$516 million) ballroom on the site of the White House’s demolished East Wing, halting for now one of the Republican President’s most visible efforts to reshape the seat of American power.

US District Judge Richard Leon granted a request for a preliminary injunction by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit organisation that brought a lawsuit alleging Mr Trump exceeded his authority when he razed the historic East Wing and launched construction on the new building.

The decision by Judge Leon, an appointee of Republican former president George W. Bush, keeps the 90,000 sq ft ballroom project on hold while the lawsuit continues.

“Where does this leave us? Unfortunately for Defendants, unless and until Congress blesses this project through statutory authorisation, construction has to stop!” the judge wrote in his order, referring to the administration.

The judge said he was pausing his order for 14 days to allow the Trump administration to appeal. The order does not affect “construction necessary to ensure the safety and security of the White House”, he added.

Hours after the order was issued, the Justice Department appealed against it to the Washington-based US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

In a post on his social media site Truth Social, Mr Trump called the National Trust a group of left-wing “lunatics” and said his ballroom is “under budget, ahead of schedule, being built at no cost to the Taxpayer, and will be the finest Building of its kind anywhere in the World”.

Professor Carol Quillen, president and chief executive of the National Trust, welcomed Judge Leon’s ruling.

“This is a win for the American people on a project that forever impacts one of the most beloved and iconic places in our nation,” Prof Quillen said in a statement.

Mr Trump has championed the ballroom as a defining addition to the White House and a lasting symbol of his presidency.

Mr Leon’s ruling marks a setback for Mr Trump’s Justice Department, which opposed the injunction and has defended the ballroom as an allowable alteration that modernises the White House grounds.

The National Trust sued Mr Trump and several federal agencies in December after the administration demolished the East Wing – originally constructed in 1902 and expanded four decades later during Franklin Roosevelt’s presidency – to make way for Mr Trump’s ballroom.

The group argues that neither the President nor the National Park Service, which manages the White House grounds, had the authority to tear down the historic structure or erect a major new facility without explicit congressional approval.

The National Trust is also a plaintiff in a related lawsuit challenging the administration’s move to overhaul the Kennedy Center performing arts venue in Washington.

The administration has said the ballroom will modernise infrastructure, bolster security and ease strain on the Executive Mansion, which often relies on temporary outdoor structures to host large events.

Officials emphasise the project is funded entirely by private donors.

‘Steward of the White House’

In his order, Judge Leon said no federal law even “comes close” to giving the President the authority to demolish the East Wing and build a ballroom with private funds.

“The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!” he wrote.

A panel of the US Commission of Fine Arts, composed entirely of Trump appointees, voted 6-0 in February to approve the design.

The ballroom is part of Mr Trump’s broader push to reshape Washington’s monumental core, which also includes plans for a 76m arch and changes at the Kennedy Center.

On April 2, the National Capital Planning Commission, one of two federal bodies required to sign off on the ballroom, is scheduled at a hearing to vote on approval of building plans for the project.

A spokesperson for the commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. REUTERS