A federal judge, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, has rejected a preservationist group's request to halt the construction of a $400 million ballroom project at the White House.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation had argued that the project lacked required reviews and sought to pause it until it underwent multiple independent reviews and received congressional approval. Judge Leon ruled that the group was unlikely to succeed on the merits of its bid, citing a "ragtag group of theories" and suggesting the lawsuit needed to be amended to better challenge the president's statutory authority.
While disappointed by the lack of an injunction, the National Trust expressed pleasure that the judge recognized their standing and plans to amend their complaint. President Trump hailed the ruling as "Great news for America," stating the project was ahead of schedule and under budget.
The ballroom project involves demolishing the East Wing and is to be privately funded.
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