A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to construct a new ballroom in the space previously occupied by the White House’s East Wing, according to U.S. media reports. Judge Richard Leon issued a 14-day stay on Thursday, effective immediately, giving the Trump administration a two-week window to file an appeal.
Judge’s Ruling Centers on Authority In his ruling, Judge Leon emphasized that while the president serves as the custodian of the White House, he does not hold ownership rights over the property. “Unless and until Congress authorizes this project through legislative approval, construction must cease,” Leon wrote in his decision, as reported by CNN and CNBC. The judge further stipulated that Trump’s administration would require congressional approval not only for the ballroom’s construction but also for securing an acceptable funding mechanism.
Trump Responds with Criticism of Preservation Group In a Tuesday evening post on Truth Social, Trump criticized the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the nonprofit organization behind the lawsuit, labeling it a “radical left group.” This is the second legal challenge from the same organization against Trump, which previously filed a lawsuit over the renovation of the Kennedy Center, now rebranded as the Trump Kennedy Center. “All I’m doing is fixing, cleaning, running, and shining up a building that has been badly run-down for many years,” Trump wrote in his statement.
Background on the National Trust for Historic Preservation Established by the U.S. Congress in 1949, the National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting historic sites across the country. According to its website, the group works to rehabilitate significant landmarks and make them accessible to the public. The Trump administration’s plans for the new ballroom had drawn immediate opposition from preservationists concerned about the historical integrity of the White House grounds.
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