Judge Stops Trump’s $400 Million Ballroom Construction Until Congress ‘Blesses This Project’

A federal judge has hit pause on President Donald Trump's $400 million ballroom project.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon granted the National Trust for Historic Preservation's request for a preliminary injunction, temporarily stopping the ballroom project. According to The Hill, Leon wrote in his ruling that no statute "comes close to granting Trump the authority he claims he has to execute the $400 million project, barring construction from continuing until Congress authorizes its completion.

“Where does this leave us?" Leon wrote. "Unfortunately for Defendants, unless and until Congress blesses this project through statutory authorization, construction has to stop!”

Tuesday's ruling comes a month after Leon said the ballroom construction can continue after the preservation (the plaintiff) filed a lawsuit.

At the time, Leon wrote in his ruling that the "plaintiff didn't bring the necessary cause of action to test the statutory authority the President claims is the basis to do this construction project without the blessing of Congress and with private funds."

Leon said if the group wants to amend its complaint, he will reconsider, and that is what the preservation did.

“The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families,” Leon wrote. “He is not, however, the owner!”

Leon said the president could go to Congress to ask permission to resume construction.

Trump could go to Congress “at any time” to seek authorization to resume construction. The legislative branch could even appropriate funding for the ballroom, or at least greenlight another funding scheme, he noted.

“Either way, Congress will thereby retain its authority over the nation’s property and its oversight over the Government’s spending,” Leon said, according to The Hill.

The president was quick to reply on his Truth Social account: "The National Trust for Historic Preservation sues me for a Ballroom that is under budget, ahead of schedule, being built at no cost to the Taxpayer, and will be the finest Building of its kind anywhere in the World," Trump wrote.

"So, the White House Ballroom, and The Trump Kennedy Center, which are under budget, ahead of schedule, and will be among the most magnificent Buildings of their kind anywhere in the World, gets sued by a group that was cut off by Government years ago, but all of the many DISASTERS in our Country are left alone to die. Doesn’t make much sense, does it?"

Construction chaos

The 90,000-square-foot project, which started in October 2025 during the government shutdown, has ballooned in cost since the president first spoke of his plans last year. The cost has gone from $200 million to $300 million, and now, to $400 million.

The White House said it is being funded by private donors, with the president emphasizing it's needed to host state dinners, and even future inaugurations, for a larger crowd. The former ballroom sat only about 200 people. The new ballroom is expected to hold nearly 1,000.

Meanwhile, the federal panel reviewing the ballroom plans has planned an April vote—pushed back after public outcry during a meeting that was open to the public for comments earlier in March.

The National Capital Planning Commission was expected to hear more details about the ballroom project from the White House and those involved, then vote on the construction plans. But now, it's reviewing what the pubic wrote online.

Comments ranged from calling the ballroom a "giant overpriced bunker/ballroom" to "the size and design ... are hideous."