D.C. Judge Raises Questions on Trump WH Ballroom Plan

A federal judge Thursday raised pointed questions about President Donald Trump's plan to build a $400 million White House ballroom, as he considered whether to pause the project amid a legal challenge from a historic preservation group, according to multiple media reports.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, a George W. Bush appointee, held a hearing at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, on a lawsuit by the National Trust for Historic Preservation seeking a preliminary injunction that would halt further work on the proposed ballroom while the case proceeds.

Leon previously denied the group's request for a temporary restraining order in December, finding the plaintiffs had not shown imminent, irreparable harm. He deferred a decision on broader relief and ordered additional briefing on key legal questions.

Leon expressed skepticism about whether the administration has completed plans for the ballroom and questioned what authority governs construction decisions on White House grounds. The judge also pressed government attorneys on whether required consultation and review processes had been followed.

The lawsuit argues that the administration bypassed legally required review by the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts before beginning work tied to the project. The National Trust has said early demolition of the East Wing and excavation activity risks permanently altering the White House complex.

Leon appeared unconvinced by the administration's argument that the project fits within a long tradition of presidential renovations, Newsweek reported. He rejected comparisons to smaller projects carried out by prior administrations, including the installation of a swimming pool during President Gerald Ford's tenure.

Government attorneys have said the project's size and design are not final and that consultation with review bodies is expected to proceed. In earlier filings, the administration told the court that no above-grade construction would begin before April.

"Today, we fiercely defended the interests of the American people and advocated compliance with the law," Carol Quillen, president and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said in a statement.

"We will continue to advocate for the administration to follow the law and to give the public a chance to be heard before the continuation of construction activity makes the outcome irreversible."

Leon has not ruled on whether the project can proceed. He is expected to decide whether to issue a preliminary injunction that could temporarily halt further work as the court considers whether the president has independent authority to order construction on White House grounds.

Joshua Fisher, a White House senior official helping to oversee the ballroom, and other administration officials attended the hearing, which came hours after Trump's handpicked arts commissioners met to discuss the planned ballroom, The Washington Post reported.

That panel's new leader, Rodney Mims Cook Jr., raised several questions about its size and design but indicated he favors the controversial project.

"It's an important thing to the president. It's an important thing to the nation. We all know it," said Cook, the new chair of the Commission of Fine Arts, according to the Post.

He added that there was a clear need to create a permanent space where presidents could host large events.

"I think that that is our charge ... [to] take care of what the president wants us to do," he said.

The Commission of Fine Arts is one of two federal panels set to review the proposed ballroom's design, effect on the city's historic views and other aspects of urban planning, the Post reported.

The White House has said it hopes to obtain approval from the panels in the next two months.

Shalom Baranes, chief architect of the White House ballroom project, on Thursday largely reprised a presentation he gave to the planning commission earlier this month, detailing the nearly 90,000-square-foot building and the 22,000-square-foot ballroom inside.

The project is being funded via private donations from individuals, corporations and tech companies, including Google and Amazon, with Trump insisting the ballroom's construction cost will not be shouldered by taxpayers.