Judge orders Trump to halt White House ballroom construction

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

” The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued for an order pausing the ballroom project until it undergoes multiple independent reviews and wins approval from Congress. The White House announced the ballroom project over the summer.

By late October, Trump had demolished the East Wing to make way for a ballroom that he said will fit 999 people.

The White House said private donations, including from Trump himself, would pay for the planned construction of a 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom.

Trump proceeded with the project before seeking input from a pair of federal review panels, the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts. Trump has stocked both commission with allies.