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A federal judge on Tuesday said he was “inclined to deny” a bid to force the Trump administration to halt construction of the White House ballroom but warned officials not to undertake any irreversible work before a January hearing that could still stop the project.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said he will hold another hearing during the second week in January and hinted he may still order a pause.
“Any below ground construction” in the coming weeks that dictates above-ground work should be avoided, Leon said, adding, “be prepared to take that down.”
Lawyers for the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the U.S. argued the case is not about the need for a ballroom but about the need to follow the law.
WALZ REPEATS DEBUNKED CLAIM THAT TRUMP CONSIDERS WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM ‘TOP PRIORITY’
Democratic leaders and liberal media figures have condemned President Donald Trump for breaking ground on the White House ballroom construction project. (Andrew Harnik/Getty)
They said any construction on federal land requires congressional approval.
Lawyers representing the National Park Service countered that President Trump has authority to direct construction at the White House, saying “work must continue for national security issues.”
“See you in January,” Leon said as he warned the government not to pursue anything irreversible.
WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS TO REPORTS TRUMP NAMED NEW BALLROOM AFTER HIMSELF
Attorney General Pam Bondi weighed in Tuesday evening.
“Today @TheJusticeDept attorneys defeated an attempt to stop President Trump’s totally lawful East Wing Modernization and State Ballroom Project,” she wrote on X. “President Trump has faced countless bad-faith left-wing legal attacks – this was no different. We will continue defending the President’s project in court in the coming weeks.”
On Monday, the Trump administration argued in a court filing that pausing construction would undermine national security, citing a Secret…
