WASHINGTON, March 31 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Trump administration to pause construction of a White House ballroom, noting that the 400-million-USD project must halt pending congressional authorization.
"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!" wrote Richard Leon, a senior judge at the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
President Donald Trump claims that Congress has given him authority in existing statutes to construct his East Wing ballroom project and to do it with private funds, the judge said in a memorandum opinion.
However, the plaintiff, the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States, claims the president has no such authority under existing statutes and that a preliminary injunction is necessary to avoid irreparable harm.
"I have concluded that the National Trust is likely to succeed on the merits because no statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have," the judge said.
"As such, I must therefore GRANT the National Trust's Motion for a Preliminary Injunction, and the ballroom construction project must stop until Congress authorizes its completion," he added.
Trump lashed out at the National Trust on his social media platform Truth Social shortly after the decision was issued, calling it "a Radical Left Group of Lunatics."
The White House unveiled the ballroom renovation project in late July last year, with an estimated budget of about 300 million U.S. dollars and a target completion date before the end of Trump's term in 2029. According to Trump's posts on social media, the expanded ballroom would exceed 8,300 square meters and accommodate around 1,000 guests.
In October, the Trump administration swiftly demolished the White House East Wing to make room for the ballroom, a move that drew opposition from the National Trust and other historic preservation groups. Recent reports indicate the costs have escalated to 400 million dollars, with the administration claiming funding from private donors.
Congressional Democrats criticized the lack of transparency surrounding the project, noting that Congress had neither been notified nor asked to approve the demolition of the East Wing in advance.
In December, the National Trust sued the Trump administration in attempt to block the project, arguing that the demolition of the White House's East Wing failed to undergo proper review and was unlawful.
The Trump administration quickly appealed the ruling, which will go into effect in 14 days. ■
