A U.S. judge has blocked President Donald Trump from moving ahead with plans to build a $400 million ballroom on the site of the demolished East Wing of the White House, pausing one of the most high-profile efforts to reshape the presidential complex.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington granted a preliminary injunction sought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argues that Trump overstepped his authority by tearing down the historic structure and launching construction without congressional approval.
The ruling by a judge appointed by former President George W. Bush keeps the planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom on hold while the case proceeds.
Trump has promoted the project as a signature addition to the White House and a lasting symbol of his presidency.
The decision represents a setback for the Justice Department, which opposed the injunction and has defended the project as a permissible upgrade to modernise the White House grounds.
The National Trust filed its lawsuit in December after the administration demolished the East Wing, originally built in 1902 and later expanded during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt to make way for what Trump has described as the “finest” ballroom in the country.
The group contends that neither the president nor the National Park Service, which oversees the White House grounds, had the authority to remove the historic building or construct a major new facility without explicit approval from Congress.
During a hearing on 17 March, Judge Leon questioned government lawyers over what he described as shifting legal arguments about presidential authority, calling the White House grounds a “special place” and an “iconic symbol” of the nation.
The Trump administration has argued that the ballroom would modernise infrastructure, improve security and reduce reliance on temporary outdoor structures used for large events.
Officials have also stressed that the project is being funded entirely by private donors, a point Trump has repeatedly highlighted.
In February, a panel of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, made up entirely of Trump appointees, voted unanimously (6-0) to approve the design.
The ballroom forms part of a broader push by Trump to reshape Washington’s monumental core, including proposals for a 250-foot arch and changes to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a major cultural landmark.
The White House itself has also been floated as a potential venue for major public events, with reports of a proposed UFC White House event card featuring fighters such as Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, alongside Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane, signalling a broader effort to reimagine how the presidential grounds are used, even as legal challenges to physical changes continue.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, ...
People travelling between Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan could soon be able to pay for purchases using t...
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky...
The Middle East conflict remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue alongside renewed Houthi attacks. Iran says it remains open to mediation, while the Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the kingdom.
Rescuers searched the wreckage of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Thursday as the death toll rose to a provisional 74, making it the country's second fatal high-speed rail disaster this year.
Strengthened U.S.-Central Asia ties reflect a broader trend in international relations, with growing emphasis on developing alternative transit routes and diversifying energy and critical mineral supply networks to gain geopolitical influence.
At least 68 people have been killed after two high-speed trains collided in Spain on Wednesday, in the second deadly rail disaster in less than a year on a major route linking Madrid with the southern Andalusia region.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks.
A high-speed train involved in Wednesday's deadly collision in Spain was travelling at between 160 and 200 kilometres per hour, far above the 40 km/h safety limit, according to a preliminary investigation published on Friday.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Hackers have pulled off a staggering $6.3 billion cryptocurrency heist targeting Binance, shaking confidence in one of the world's biggest digital asset exchanges and sending crypto prices tumbling. U.S. analysts suspect North Korea was behind the attack.
Pentagon officials have in recent weeks asked several NATO countries to tone down their rhetoric regarding the threat posed by Russia, arguing that some statements by European leaders and officials have undermined continental security, four people familiar with the matter said.
AnewZ Daily Brief for 30 October 2026: Four humanitarian crises are deepening, with hospitals overwhelmed in Yemen, aid operations underway in Ukraine, hunger driving Afghan farmers back to poppy cultivation and a deadly drone strike devastating communities in Sudan.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment