President Donald Trump has blasted a federal judge who ordered that construction on his beloved $400 million ballroom project be paused until Congress authorizes it to move forward.
“Basically he's saying, I need congressional approval. And he's so wrong,” the president said during a press event Tuesday, speaking about the ruling by District Court Judge Richard Leon earlier that day.
“This is being financed privately. It's a donation that's being given by companies, very rich companies, very rich people, so that for 150 years, they've wanted in a ballroom here we're going to have the finest ballroom, I believe, anywhere in the world.”
In his ruling, Leon, who was appointed by George W. Bush, sided with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit group that sued Trump in December after he demolished the East Wing.
The judge agreed the president likely needed Congressional approval to tear down and replace an entire section of the White House, while also raising questions about the “convoluted funding scheme” that has led the administration to seek private donations to pay for construction.
“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!” Leon began in his 35-page opinion.
But Leon added that it was “not too late” for Congress to authorize the continued construction and said Trump could go to them at any time to seek permission to use private funding for the 90,000 square-foot ballroom.
During Tuesday afternoon’s event Trump said the judge had allowed him to continue building “as necessary to cover the safety and security of the White House and its grounds,” adding “that is what we are doing.”
“The roof is drone proof. We have secure air handling systems. Bad things happen in the air. If you have bad people,” the president continued.
“We have bomb shelters that we are building. We have a hospital and very major medical facilities that we are building. We have all of these things. I'm allowed to continue building as necessary.”
Trump complained about the lawsuit earlier on Truth Social, claiming the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which he referred to as a “Radical Left Group of Lunatics,” should have focused on the Federal Reserve building construction or California’s high-speed rail.
“So, 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, but all of the many DISASTERS in our Country are left alone to die,” Trump said, referencing the Fed building and California rail project.
Trump said his ballroom plans are “Ahead of schedule, being built at no cost to the Taxpayer, and will be the finest Building of its kind anywhere in the World.”
The White House ballroom has been one of the most controversial construction projects for the president. Without seeking congressional authorization, the president tore down the historic East Wing and brushed off concerns from preservationists, lawmakers and the public.
That was after Trump asserted the new ballroom would not “interfere” with the original White House building.
Other original plans have also changed – the cost increased from $200 million to $400 million and the original architect on the project was replaced.
Trump has gone to great lengths to expedite his White House ballroom project, firing members of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, a committee that approves new designs, and installing allies – including the original architect on the ballroom project and a 26-year-old White House staffer.
Trump has also put close allies in charge of the National Capital Planning, which has jurisdiction over construction and major renovations to government buildings in the region.
Over the weekend, The New York Times looked at the rendering for the new ballroom and raised questions about the design - including stairs that lead to ‘nowhere’ and columns that block the view of the outside from inside the ballroom. That caused more consternation from White House officials who fumed at the criticism.
“The New York Times had three random people who have 'studied fine arts,' 'long written about urban planning,' and never built anything to write an article criticizing the new White House ballroom," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote in an X post.
"President Trump and his lead architect have built world-class buildings around the world, and they are ensuring the People’s House finally has a beautiful ballroom that’s been needed for decades — at no expense to the taxpayer," she said.
Leon’s order comes after months of back-and-forth with lawyers for the administration and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Leon had initially declined to interfere in the construction process both in December and February.
But after tense hearings, in which Trump administration lawyers appeared to be changing their justifications, Leon appeared frustrated.
“This has been a case where there have been shifting theories, shifting dynamics, I regret to say, from the beginning,” Leon said during a March hearing.
When lawyers tried to compare the ballroom project to other White House renovations during a January hearing, Leon replied: “The ‘77 Gerald Ford swimming pool? You compare that to tearing down and building a new East Wing? Come on. Be serious.”
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