Trump’s $400M White House ballroom project halted by fed judge

WASHINGTON — Construction on President Trump’s ritzy $400 million White House ballroom project has been halted by a federal judge until Congress gives its approval.

The order from Judge Richard Leon, a George W. Bush appointee, marks the first consequential setback Trump has endured in his quest to construct the 90,000 square feet ballroom where the East Wing once stood.

“Unfortunately for Defendants, unless and until Congress blesses this project through statutory authorization, construction has to stop! But here is the good news. It is not too late for Congress to authorize the continued construction of the ballroom project,” Leon wrote in a 35-page opinion.

“The American people will benefit from the branches of Government exercising their constitutionally prescribed roles. Not a bad outcome, that!”

Trump is expected to appeal the decision.

“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,” Trump bemoaned on Truth Social.

The president then rattled off a litany of organizations the National Trust for Historic Preservation didn’t sue, such as California for the controversial high-speed rail project or the Federal Reserve for its over-budget renovations.

“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, gets sued by a group that was cut off by Government years ago,” he added. “Doesn’t make much sense.”

The National Trust is also suing him over renovations of the Trump-Kennedy Center, which is being litigated separately from the ballroom case.

Shortly after the East Wing, the historical domain of the first lady’s office, was demolished last October, the National Trust slapped a lawsuit against the Trump administration seeking to stop construction of the ballroom. It argued the project was pursued without any input from Congress.

Leon repeatedly allowed construction to continue in December and February, though he did caution that the administration should be prepared to have to knock down what it builds amid the litigation.

Last month, Leon suggested the National Trust would need to rework its lawsuit in order to get ballroom construction paused, which it ultimately did.

Trump’s team previously argued in federal court that pausing construction on the ballroom project would pose a threat to national security, alluding to work being done on the doomsday bunker that sits below where the East Wing used to be.