A federal judge on Tuesday ordered a halt to construction of President Donald Trump's planned White House ballroom, ruling that the president lacks authority to proceed without congressional approval.
U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon granted a preliminary injunction sought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, directing that work must stop "unless and until Congress blesses this project."
Leon stayed enforcement for 14 days, giving the administration a short window to appeal while leaving the next phase of construction in doubt.
The decision marks the first significant legal setback to the administration's effort to replace the demolished East Wing with a roughly 90,000-square-foot ballroom funded by private donations.
Leon, an appointee of President George W. Bush, concluded in a 35-page opinion that no existing statute grants the president unilateral power to undertake such extensive changes to the White House.
He noted that the president serves as steward of the residence for future first families but is "not, however, the owner."
The project, estimated at around $400 million, involves building a large state ballroom on the site of the East Wing, which was demolished in October 2025.
Trump has said that private donors, including corporations, have committed funds at no cost to taxpayers. The National Trust argued the administration rushed the work without required congressional authorization or proper review.
In earlier rulings, Leon had declined to intervene.
By March, he expressed frustration with what he called shifting government accounts of the project's authority and funding mechanism, including the role of the National Park Service.
The judge left open the possibility that Congress could authorize the project through legislation, stating that it would preserve legislative oversight of government property and spending.
"It is not too late for Congress to authorize the continued construction of the ballroom project," he added.
The administration had maintained that the president holds broad authority to modernize the White House and that halting work would create safety and operational issues near the president's residence.
Leon rejected comparisons to smaller past renovations, such as a swimming pool or a tennis pavilion.
The National Capital Planning Commission was scheduled to vote on final designs on April 2. Construction had advanced to footings and below-grade work, with above-grade structural work expected in late April.
The National Trust, a congressionally chartered nonprofit focused on historic preservation, sued in December 2025. It contended the scale of the project would permanently alter the White House's historic character and balance.
Leon's order requires construction to stop while the underlying lawsuit proceeds. The decision is expected to be appealed, with the administration previously signaling the issues could reach the Supreme Court.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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