By Mike Scarcella<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON, March 31 (Reuters) – A U.S. judge blocked Donald Trump on Tuesday from proceeding with construction of a $400 million ballroom on the site of the White House’s \u200cdemolished East Wing, halting for now one of the Republican president’s most visible efforts \u200cto reshape the seat of American power.<\/p>\n
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington granted a request for a preliminary injunction \u200bby the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit organization that brought a lawsuit alleging Trump exceeded his authority when he razed the historic East Wing and launched construction without approval from Congress.<\/p>\n
The decision by Leon, an appointee of Republican President George W. Bush, keeps the 90,000-square-foot ballroom project on hold \u200cwhile the lawsuit continues.<\/p>\n
Trump has championed \u2060the ballroom as a defining addition to the White House and a lasting symbol of his presidency. Leon’s ruling marks a sharp setback for the \u2060Justice Department, which opposed the injunction and has defended the ballroom as an allowable alteration that modernizes the White House grounds.<\/p>\n
The National Trust sued Trump and several federal agencies in December after the administration \u200bdemolished the \u200bEast Wing – originally constructed in 1902 and expanded during \u200bFranklin Roosevelt\u2019s presidency – to make way \u200cfor what Trump has vowed will be the \u201cfinest\u201d ballroom in the country.<\/p>\n
The group argues that neither the president nor the National Park Service, which manages the White House grounds, had authority to tear down the historic structure or erect a major new facility without explicit congressional approval.<\/p>\n
At a March 17 hearing, Leon pressed government lawyers on the Justice Department\u2019s shifting explanations for the president\u2019s authority, \u200ccalling the White House grounds a \u201cspecial place\u201d and an \u201ciconic \u200bsymbol\u201d of the nation.<\/p>\n
The Trump administration has said the ballroom \u200bwill modernize infrastructure, bolster security and \u200bease strain on the Executive Mansion, which often relies on temporary outdoor structures \u200cto host large events.<\/p>\n
Officials emphasize the project \u200bis funded entirely by private \u200bdonors – a point Trump has repeatedly highlighted.<\/p>\n
A panel of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, composed entirely of Trump appointees, voted 6-0 in February to approve the design.<\/p>\n
The ballroom \u200bis part of Trump\u2019s broader \u200cpush to reshape Washington\u2019s monumental core, which also includes plans for a 250-foot arch \u200band changes at the Kennedy Center, a cultural landmark and performance center.<\/p>\n
(Reporting by Mike \u200bScarcella; Editing by David Bario and Nia Williams)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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