Trump White House Ballroom Construction
President Trump demolished the White House East Wing in October 2025 to build a 90,000-square-foot grand ballroom, estimated at $400 million and funded by private donors. The project has faced repeated legal challenges: a federal judge halted construction on March 31, 2026, ruling Trump needs congressional authorization; the National Capital Planning Commission approved the design 8-1 on April 2; an appeals court allowed work to continue on April 11; but on April 16, Judge Richard Leon again blocked above-ground construction, ruling "national security is not a blank check to proceed with otherwise unlawful activity" and rejecting the administration's argument that the ballroom was inseparable from underground security facilities. Trump called Leon a "Trump Hating" judge and the administration is expected to seek Supreme Court review.