Federal Judge Declines for 2nd Time to Block White House Ballroom Construction

The privately funded $400 million project is slated for completion in 2028.
Federal Judge Declines for 2nd Time to Block White House Ballroom Construction
Architect Shalom Baranes shows a site plan for the new $400 million White House ballroom during a meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission in Washington on Jan. 8, 2026. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
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A federal judge on Feb. 26 allowed the ongoing ballroom construction project at the White House to continue, rejecting a preservation organization’s request to halt it for the second time in two months.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon denied a motion for a preliminary injunction, finding the plaintiff, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, cited the wrong legal authorities in its motion. The plaintiff “bases its challenge on a ragtag group of theories under the Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution,” the Washington-based judge said.