A judge ruled on March 31 that construction on President Trump’s White House ballroom must halt until Congress authorizes the project. The lawsuit was brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
In granting a preliminary injunction to pause the project, US district judge Richard Leon wrote that “[t]he President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!” Leon specified that the project may continue only once Congress has authorized it.
“The White House is a National Historic Landmark, a structure of the highest historic significance to the nation,” said Emily Thompson, executive director of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks in response to the ruling. While Presidents can – and should be able to – change the appearance of the White House they must follow the law and engage the proper agencies to do so. The Trump Administration failed to do so. Today’s ruling is a win for democracy and the rule of law.
The demolition of the East Wing of the White House occurred in October after Trump announced plans for the new ballroom. He posted on social media, stating that "ground ha[d] been broken on the White House grounds to build the new, big, beautiful White House Ballroom." However, the ballroom was not approved by Congress, which opened the project up to litigation.
Congress holds the power to approve changes to the White House through the Residence Act of 1790, which authorized three commissioners to "provide suitable buildings for the accommodation of ... the President."
Leon delayed the enforcement of the injunction for 14 days, considering “that halting an ongoing construction project may raise logistical issues, and that Defendants intend to seek an appeal immediately.” He also excluded construction necessary to ensure the safety and security of the White House from the scope of the injunction.
In the meantime, Leon underscored that Congress can, at any time, approve the continuation and completion of the project. “It is not too late for Congress to authorize the continued construction of the ballroom project,” wrote Leon in his conclusion. “The President may at any time go to Congress to obtain express authority to construct a ballroom and to do so with private funds. Indeed, Congress may even choose to appropriate funds for the ballroom, or at least decide that some other funding scheme is acceptable. Either way, Congress will thereby retain its authority over the nation's property and its oversight over the Government's spending.”
Leon concluded that “[u]nfortunately for Defendants, unless and until Congress blesses this project through statutory authorization, construction has to stop!”
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