Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s $400M Ballroom Despite Final Approval Vote

Trump just cleared a major hurdle on his White House ballroom but a federal judge is still blocking construction.

A key federal planning agency approved the $400 million project this week, even after a court ordered work to stop unless Congress signs off. The clash is now turning into a high-stakes legal fight over presidential authority.

According to the Associated Press, the National Capital Planning Commission voted to approve the 90,000-square-foot ballroom, which would replace the East Wing and mark the biggest White House change in decades.

But days earlier, a federal judge ruled Trump cannot proceed without congressional approval, siding with preservation groups who sued to halt the project.

That leaves the plan in limbo. Approval moves the project forward on paper, but construction cannot legally continue unless the ruling is overturned or Congress steps in.

The administration has already appealed, signaling the fight is far from over.

Subscribe free for daily political analysis they won’t broadcast. Join 115K+ readers →