Trump rails against court decision that once again stalls his White House ballroom project
NPR • • general
Key Points:
- U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled to block above-ground construction of a $400 million White House ballroom, allowing only below-ground work related to national security facilities to proceed.
- President Trump criticized the judge on social media, accusing him of undermining national security and delaying the project, which the administration plans to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals.
- The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued to challenge the ballroom project, expressed approval of the court's decision.
- Leon emphasized that national security does not justify unlawful construction and limited the exemption to below-ground security-related work, rejecting the administration's claim that the entire project qualifies.
- The ballroom project had received final approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, but legal challenges continue amid concerns over funding and the scope of construction.
