April 1, 2026
Judge Slams Brakes On White House Ballroom Plan, Says Trump ‘Is Not the Owner’
“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!,” Leon ruled.
A federal judge is putting a damper on plans for the new White House grand ballroom after blocking President Donald Trump from moving forward with any more work, CNN reports.
Judge Richard Leon, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, said he delayed his ruling for two weeks in order to give the Trump administration time to appeal. He issued a warning that “any above-ground construction over the next fourteen days that is not in compliance” with his ruling risks being taken down.
“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!” Leon ruled.
In the ruling for a lawsuit brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Leon highlighted how the administration never received congressional approval for the massive $400 million ballroom hosted at the former site of the White House East Wing, which is required by federal law. “(U)nless and until Congress blesses this project through statutory authorization, construction has to stop!” he wrote, adding the good news” is that Trump and Congress can now work together in order to get the project authorized.
Trump, who once served as a real estate developer, has had a personal hand in the ballroom design, with an estimated 89,000-square-foot space that can hold 1,000 guests, compared to the Executive Mansion, which is just 55,000 square feet.
Despite claiming to be “so busy that I don’t have time to do this,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One March 29 that he thinks the addition will “be the greatest ballroom anywhere in the world.”
But following the judge’s ruling, Trump announced he plans to appeal it, saying the judge doesn’t know what he’s talking about and that he doesn’t need approval from Congress since the construction is being paid for by “donations.” “Many things have been built in the White House,” the president said, according to The Hill.
“They haven’t gotten congressional approval, especially when the money is not being put up by the taxpayer — the taxpayers are not putting up a dime.”
He continued his rant against the lawsuit loss on his Truth Social app, calling the National Trust “Radical Left Group of Lunatics.”
“So, the White House Ballroom, and The Trump Kennedy Center, which are under budget, ahead of schedule, and will be among the most magnificent Buildings of their kind anywhere in the World, gets sued by a group that was cut off by Government years ago, but all of the many DISASTERS in our Country are left alone to die,” Trump wrote.
“Doesn’t make much sense, does it?”
He may be up for a fight. While Carol Quillen, National Trust president and CEO, called the ruling “a win for the American people,” Democratic leaders seem to be more excited. California Rep. Jared Huffman, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Natural Resources, who has some jurisdiction over the project, says he plans to be “very actively engaged” going forward.
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