finance Mar 31, 2026

Judge blocks Trump White House ballroom project for now

C

CNBC Finance

2 min read
Key Points
  • A federal judge in Washington, D.C., temporarily blocked construction of a new White House ballroom.
  • President Donald Trump has heavily touted the $400 million project, which would stand on the site of the now-demolished East Wing.
  • District Court Judge Richard Leon's order is set to take effect within 14 days, giving the Trump administration time to appeal the ruling.
  • The order was issued at the request of The National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States, whose lawsuit is challenging the ballroom project.
Architect Shalom Baranes shows elevation drawings for a new $400 million ballroom at the White House to members of the National Capital Planning Commission on Jan. 8, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday blocked, for now, the construction of the new White House ballroom, which President Donald Trump has heavily touted.

District Court Judge Richard Leon, in his order, enjoined Trump administration officials and the Executive Officer of the President, "from taking any action in furtherance of the physical development of the proposed ballroom at the former site of the East Wing of the White House."

Leon said the order would take effect within 14 days. The delay gives Trump time to appeal the order.

The ruling is a victory for the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States, which had sued the National Park Service and other defendants to block the ballroom project.

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