Judge denies bid to halt Trump WH’s $400M ballroom project
A federal judge on Thursday denied a preservationist group’s plea to halt the Trump administration’s ongoing construction of a $400 million ballroom, which involved the demolition of the East Wing of the White House. US District Judge Richard Leon determined that The National Trust for Historic Preservation was unlikely to prevail on the merits of its request to temporarily stop President Donald Trump’s project. Leon stated that the group stands a greater chance of success if it modifies its lawsuit.
Regrettably, as both parties concentrated on the President’s constitutional power regarding the demolition and construction of the East Wing of the White House, the Plaintiff failed to present the essential cause of action needed to examine the statutory authority that the President asserts allows him to undertake this construction project without Congressional approval and using private funds,” he wrote. The privately funded group has initiated legal action seeking an order to halt the ballroom project until it has undergone several independent reviews and received approval from Congress. The White House revealed the ballroom project during the summer months. By late October, the Republican president had dismantled the East Wing to create a ballroom that he claimed would accommodate 999 people.
The White House announced that private donations, including contributions from Trump himself, would fund the planned construction of a 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom. Trump moved forward with the project prior to consulting two federal review panels, the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts. Trump, a Republican, has filled both commissions with supporters.
