A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday blocked, for now, the construction of the new White House ballroom, which President Donald Trump has heavily touted.
District Court Judge Richard Leon, in his order, said construction of the planned $400 million ballroom “must stop” because no law “comes close” to giving Trump legal authority to build such a structure at the White House without authorization by Congress.
Leon said that the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States, which sued Trump in December to halt the project, was likely to prevail in the case.
The judge enjoined Trump administration officials and the Executive Officer of the President, “from taking any action in furtherance of the physical development of the proposed ballroom at the former site of the East Wing of the White House.”
Leon, who twice previously declined to block the project, said the order would take effect within 14 days. The delay gives Trump time to appeal the injunction.
