Judge Leon rejects Trump national security exemption blocks White House ballroom construction

Senior U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon issues a new ruling blocking all above-ground construction on Trump's White House ballroom, rejecting the administration's argument that national security concerns justify resuming work. Leon calls the national security claim "disingenuous" after the DC Circuit Court briefly stayed his March 31 injunction through April 17. He allows underground bunker work and structural elements "necessary to ensure the safety, security, and structural integrity of the White House" to continue, but bars any new above-ground ballroom construction absent congressional authorization. The ruling reinforces that separation-of-powers limits apply even when an administration invokes national security to circumvent them.