A US judge has temporarily halted President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom construction project, ruling that proper procedures were not followed before the project began.

The decision comes after the White House was sued by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

“(U)nless and until Congress blesses this project through statutory authorization, construction has to stop!” said Judge Richard Leon in a ruling with a number of exclamation points.

Trump vowed to appeal, and disputed the judge’s finding that Congress must approve the ballroom. He added that the current setup is inadequate to host world dignitaries such as King Charles III, who will visit Washington next month.

The Trump administration previously said its plan was more economical than renovating the East Wing. It also noted that many presidents made changes to the White House.

Published on Tuesday, Leon’s 35-page ruling said: “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.”

He continued: “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!”

The ruling said Congress must give approval in order for the project to resume.

The order takes effect in 14 days, allowing time for an appeal.

In the lawsuit, the preservation group argued that the White House broke the law by beginning construction without filing plans with the National Capital Planning Commission, by not seeking an environmental assessment of the project, and by declining to seek authorisation from Congress.

It also alleged Trump was violating the US Constitution, “which reserves to Congress the right to dispose of and make all rules regarding property belonging to the United States”.

In his conclusion, Leon wrote that with White House approval from Congress, “the American people will benefit from the branches of Government exercising their constitutionally prescribed roles”.

“Not a bad outcome, that!”

The East Wing, which was constructed in 1902, was demolished in October to make way for Trump’s multi-million dollar ballroom.

Since then, the proposed blueprint has expanded from a ballroom with a capacity of 500 people to a space that can fit 1,350 guests.

The White House says the project is expected to cost $400m (£302m) and is being funded entirely by private donors.

The National Trust is a nonprofit organisation tasked by the US Congress with helping preserve historic sites.

The group’s president, Carol Quillen, released a statement, saying: “We are pleased with Judge Leon’s ruling today to order a halt to any further ballroom construction until the Administration complies with the law and obtains express authorization to go forward.

“This is a win for the American people on a project that forever impacts one of the most beloved and iconic places in our nation.”

Reacting to the judge’s decision, Trump wrote on his Truth Social account: “The National Trust for Historic Preservation sues me for a Ballroom that is under budget, ahead of schedule, being built at no cost to the Taxpayer, and will be the finest Building of its kind anywhere in the World.”

He also criticised the trust for suing to stop his renovation of the Kennedy Center, which Trump recently renamed after himself.

“All I am doing is fixing, cleaning, running, and ‘sprucing up’ a terribly maintained, for many years, Building,” Trump wrote about the performing arts venue in Washington DC.

In later remarks with reporters, Trump said the White House would appeal against the ruling, and denied that he needs approval from Congress to continue building.

He also noted the forthcoming visit to the US by King Charles III, saying that a ballroom tent is not sufficient to host him because of how wet the grass can get when it rains.

“King Charles, who’s a great guy. We don’t want him to sit in a pool of water,” he said.

The Trump administration has argued that any delay to the project would harm US national security, which the judge dismissed as “grasping at straws,” adding a sarcastic: “Please!”

“The existence of a ‘large hole’ beside the White House is, of course, a problem of the President’s own making!” he wrote.

On Sunday, Trump told reporters that the US military was building a “massive complex” under the ballroom.

He added that “the ballroom essentially becomes a shed for what’s being built under”.

Construction is already well under way, after the East Room was torn down in a matter of days last autumn.

The demolition and foundation-building already is completed; aboveground construction was due to begin next month.

Source: BBC
--Agencies