A federal judge said during the hearing that it was unlikely he would issue the temporary restraining order sought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
New architect chosen to lead White House Ballroom project
Plans for the White House ballroom are moving forward under new architectural guidelines after controversy over the project’s size.
WASHINGTON – A federal judge in Washington said Tuesday he will not order the Trump administration to immediately halt construction of the $300 million White House Ballroom on the site of the demolished East Tower, pending a lawsuit alleging an abuse of presidential power.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said during the hearing that he is unlikely to issue the temporary restraining order sought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in a lawsuit accusing President Donald Trump and federal agencies of starting the 90,000-square-foot project without legally required reviews and approvals.
The Republican president has made significant changes to the White House since returning to office in January. Trump installed gold ornaments throughout the Oval Office and paved the lawn of the Rose Garden to create a patio similar to his Mar-a-Lago mansion in Florida.
In a huge banquet hall, these changes will seem small. Videos of heavy equipment destroying the 120-year-old East Wing of the White House to make way for the project sparked an outcry, with critics accusing Trump of pushing through without proper consideration.
“No president, not President Trump, nor President Biden, nor anyone else, is legally permitted to demolish any portion of the White House without any review,” the National Trust’s lawsuit said.
In its motion for a temporary restraining order, the group said the project has already caused “irreparable harm” to the White House and its grounds.
The administration said in a Monday filing that the project is legal and follows a series of presidential renovations, including construction of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s East Wing itself. The emergency order is not needed because the banquet hall is needed for state events, its design is still being developed and ground construction is not planned until April, according to the filing.
“The President has the legal authority to change the structure of the official residence, and that authority is supported by the underlying principles of executive power,” the filing states.
Unable to gather public input, Trump demolished the East Wing and began construction of the ballroom, ignoring a statute requiring consultation with the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission on Fine Arts, according to the complaint.
The National Trust said it filed the lawsuit, asking the administration to at least comply with “procedural requirements to protect the public’s opportunity to be informed and comment on the Ballroom Project.”
(Reporting by Mike Scarcella and Andrew Goudsward; Editing by David Bario and Howard Goller)
