"A judge ruled on March 31 that construction on President Trump’s White House ballroom must halt until Congress authorizes the project. The lawsuit was brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
In granting a preliminary injunction to pause the project, US district judge Richard Leon wrote that “[t]he 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 specified that the project may continue only once Congress has authorized it.
“The White House is a National Historic Landmark, a structure of the highest historic significance to the nation,” said Emily Thompson, executive director of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks in response to the ruling. While Presidents can – and should be able to – change the appearance of the White House they must follow the law and engage the proper agencies to do so. The Trump Administration failed to do so. Today’s ruling is a win for democracy and the rule of law.
The demolition of the East Wing of the White House occurred in October after Trump announced plans for the new ballroom. He posted on social media, stating that "ground ha[d] been broken on the White House grounds to build the new, big, beautiful White House Ballroom." However, the ballroom was not approved by Congress, which opened the project up to litigation."
