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.
Iran’s army said it targeted U.S. military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait with drone attacks. Tehran said the operations were carried out in retal...
Georgia has secured two major financial commitments this week, with one aimed at easing road congestion around the capital and the other at strengthen...
A Turkish-owned cargo ship was struck by a drone in the Black Sea after leaving a Ukrainian port, in the latest incident to raise concerns over the sa...
Ukraine targeted a warehouse belonging to Russia’s largest retailer, Wildberries, and an oil refinery overnight, while Moscow said its forces struck a ship carrying military cargo in the Black Sea.
The U.S. military said it completed its latest wave of strikes on Iran, a two-hour operation that hit dozens of targets. Washington described the strikes as a "powerful response" to Iranian missile attacks targeting U.S. forces in the Middle East a day earlier.
Saudi Arabia said its overnight strikes on Iran-backed group targets in Iraq were carried out in self-defence and warned it would take further military action if the groups launched new attacks against the kingdom.
Iran’s army said it targeted U.S. military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait with drone attacks. Tehran said the operations were carried out in retaliation for recent U.S. strikes.
Thousands of migrants have crossed into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta from Morocco, overwhelming border security and prompting local authorities to call for a national emergency and military deployment.
Thousands of people spent the night on beaches, waiting by fences or wading through the sea in the hope of reaching Europe, as an estimated 49,000 migrants crossed into Spain's enclave of Ceuta in just 24 hours.
Carlos Cordeiro, senior adviser to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, has resigned with immediate effect in protest over proposals to sell a stake in the FIFA World Cup, calling the plan "a bad deal for football."
Ukraine targeted a warehouse belonging to Russia’s largest retailer, Wildberries, and an oil refinery overnight, while Moscow said its forces struck a ship carrying military cargo in the Black Sea.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 31st of July, covering the latest developments.
At least 18 coal miners have been killed and 14 others remain trapped after a powerful methane gas explosion caused part of a mining complex to collapse in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, officials said on Thursday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment