A federal judge ruled to halt the construction of the White House ballroom on Tuesday, citing that Congress must approve of the project.
U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon paused construction on the ballroom after the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States sued the administration for tearing down the White House’s East Wing. The $300 million ballroom, which President Donald Trump claims is necessary to host state dinners, has been funded by private donations and not taxpayer funds.
“The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families,” Leon, a former President George W. Bush appointee, wrote. “He is not, however, the owner!”
“Unfortunately for Defendants, unless and until Congress blesses this project through statutory authorization, construction has to stop,” the judge added.
Trump responded to the judge’s decision in a Truth Social post, claiming the lawsuit “doesn’t make much sense.”
“So, the White House Ballroom, and The Trump Kennedy Center, which are under budget, ahead of schedule, and will be among the most magnificent Buildings of their kind anywhere in the World, get sued by a group that was cut off by the government years ago, but all of the many DISASTERS in our Country are left alone to die,” Trump posted. “Doesn’t make much sense, does it?”
In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump took aim at the ruling.
“In the Ballroom case, the Judge said we have to get Congressional approval. He is WRONG! Congressional approval has never been given on anything, in these circumstances, big or small, having to do with construction at the White House,” the president claimed. “In this case, even less so, because the Ballroom is being built with Private Donations, no Federal Taxpayer Money!”
Congress is now expected to comply with the judge’s orders and green-light the rest of the construction, someone familiar with the matter told The Daily Signal.
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, chaired by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, is now expected to help the ballroom construction continue after Congress returns from recess.
Lee did not respond to The Daily Signal’s request for comment, but some Republicans on the committee have previously signaled their support for the project.
Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., told Fox News Digital in August 2025 that the new ballroom will be a great addition to the White House and commemorated the president for doing so with “no cost to the taxpayer.”
Hoeven did not respond to The Daily Signal’s request for comment.
Other Republican senators have also signaled support for the ballroom.
Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, said in August 2025 that he’s “glad” the construction is being carried out through “private dollars.”
“I think it’ll be a great thing to add and put that Trump stamp on the White House,” he added.
In response to Democratic criticism of the construction, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, previously said that his colleagues from across the aisle oppose the construction because they “wake up animated by hatred for Trump and hatred for the American people that voted for him.”
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., broke ranks with his Democrat colleagues when he shrugged off the project in August 2025 and called it “pretty normal.”
“The plans are going to be done in a tasteful and historical kind of way,” Fetterman said. “They’re not putting in a Dave & Buster’s kind of situation here, so I think upgrading some of these facilities seems pretty normal.”
In the lower chamber, Representatives Andy Biggs, Marlin Stutzman, Andy Ogles, and Josh Brecheen wrote an opinion piece for Newsweek in Oct. applauding the construction and refuting any criticism.
“The new ballroom is a practical investment in America’s most important home,” the members wrote. “For years, the White House has struggled to accommodate large-scale events, whether for state visits, national ceremonies or even bipartisan gatherings that bring leaders together.”
The ballroom, if completed, would include an underground “military complex” that would serve as a bunker for the president, White House residents, and staff in the event of an emergency.
“The ballroom essentially becomes a shed for what’s being built under,” Trump told reporters on Monday.
