Judge Declines to Halt Trump's $400 Million White House Ballroom — but Invites a New Challenge

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon on February 26, 2026 declined to grant the National Trust for Historic Preservation a preliminary injunction pausing construction of the White House ballroom. The Trust had asked the court to stop work until the administration complied with federal review requirements and obtained congressional approval. Leon found the Trust's arguments insufficient to justify a halt but suggested it could amend its complaint to raise fresh claims about the scope of presidential authority. The privately funded 90,000-square-foot structure replaces the demolished East Wing at a reported cost of $400 million; the administration said it was ahead of schedule and under budget.

The ruling left in place a construction project that proceeded without the historic-preservation review and congressional appropriation ordinarily attached to alterations of the White House complex, while leaving the underlying legal question open.

The Trust amended its case. On March 31, 2026 Leon ordered construction to halt unless Congress approves the project, and the administration appealed.