A federal judge made his feelings clear about the Justice Department’s arguments over President Donald Trump‘s $400 million White House ballroom project. At a hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon appeared largely unimpressed by what the DOJ’s lawyers had to say.
The central issue is Trump’s plan to demolish the White House’s entire East Wing to build a large event space, without getting congressional approval. Work crews already demolished the facade of the East Wing on October 20, 2025, making the legal matter even more pressing.
According to The Washington Post, the DOJ’s lawyers argued that a federal law gives the president the power to make “alterations” and “improvements” to the White House “as the president may determine,” and tried to frame Trump’s ballroom project as simply an “alteration.”
The judge’s sharp response signals deeper concerns about the White House project
Judge Leon, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, pushed back firmly. He told the DOJ’s attorneys that calling Trump’s White House overhaul “an alteration… takes some brazen interpretation of the laws of vocabulary.” This ruling comes at a time when the DOJ has faced scrutiny on multiple fronts, including attempts to shield its lawyers from investigation.
The judge also grew frustrated when a DOJ lawyer compared the project to past construction work at national parks. Leon rejected that comparison and reminded everyone that the White House “is a special place,” describing it as “an iconic symbol of this nation.” He also noted that Trump is merely a “steward” of the White House, not its owner.
The case came before the D.C. district court after the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit focused on protecting historic buildings, asked Judge Leon to issue a temporary injunction to halt construction until Congress grants its approval.
Leon also criticized what he called the government’s “shifting theories and shifting dynamics,” saying “it would have been a heck of a lot easier by any standard to have just gone to Congress to get the authority to do it.” His frustration with the inconsistent arguments became clearer given that just last month, DOJ lawyers had filed court documents claiming the ballroom has “national security implications.”
The department, which has also faced pressure after releasing FBI files on Trump assault allegations, said it would appeal any unfavorable ruling. Judge Leon plans to issue his ruling by the end of March. The White House has said it aims to begin above-ground construction of the ballroom by April.
Published: Mar 19, 2026 03:32 pm