Judge Leon grants injunction halting White House ballroom construction Trump lacks authority

Senior U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon grants the National Trust for Historic Preservation's request for a preliminary injunction, ordering construction on Trump's White House ballroom to stop. Leon rules that "no statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have," writing that Trump was "moving ahead with construction unlawfully" because he had not asked Congress for permission. The project's estimated cost has risen from $200 million to $400 million since the July 2025 announcement. Leon delays enforcement 14 days to allow the administration to appeal. The ruling directly challenges executive authority, affirming that major alterations to federal property require congressional appropriation.