Judge Blocks Above-Ground Construction of Trump's White House Ballroom

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ordered a halt to above-ground construction of Donald Trump's proposed 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom on April 16, 2026. The $400 million project, funded by private corporate donors, followed the demolition of the historic East Wing in October 2025. Judge Leon ruled that the president serves as a steward rather than an owner of the White House and cannot proceed with the visible structure without express congressional authorization.

While the injunction blocks the ballroom itself, it allows the administration to continue below-ground work on a massive military complex. This underground facility replaces the World War II-era Presidential Emergency Operations Center and includes bomb shelters, secure communications, and a state-of-the-art hospital. The ruling follows a lawsuit by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argued the project violated planning laws and was disproportionate to the mansion.

Trump condemned the decision on Truth Social, calling the judge highly political and describing the ballroom as a militarily imperative project essential for the safety of future presidents and world leaders. He argued that the above-ground section is necessary for the underground facilities to function. The Department of Justice has appealed the ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Political critics, including Governor Gavin Newsom and Senator Andy Kim, compared the project's opulence to Marie Antoinette, criticizing the focus on a luxury ballroom amid high gas prices and a partial government shutdown.