Althouse: "A federal judge on Thursday declined to halt construction of the ballroom President Trump plans to build over the demolished East Wing of the White House..."

February 26, 2026

"A federal judge on Thursday declined to halt construction of the ballroom President Trump plans to build over the demolished East Wing of the White House..."

"... concluding that the lawsuit, as filed, focused on the wrong questions about the president’s authority.... Judge Richard J. Leon of the Federal District Court in Washington wrote that the group that had filed the lawsuit could amend the claim to focus more squarely on the president’s power to make sweeping changes to the building without input from Congress.... The National Trust for Historic Preservation... argued that left unchecked, Mr. Trump could redevelop the White House beyond recognition, using funds from entities seeking access or a business edge. The argument appeared to resonate with Judge Leon, an appointee of President George W. Bush.... Asked to list any other time a president had marshaled private funds to carry out a significant White House renovation without approval from Congress, Mr. Roth cited the installation of a swimming pool by President Gerald Ford and the construction of a tennis pavilion during Mr. Trump’s first term. 'The ’77 Gerald Ford swimming pool? You compare that to tearing down and building a new East Wing?' Judge Leon replied. 'C’mon, be serious.'..."

The NYT reports.

43 comments:

mccullough said...: Building will be done before judges can do anything about it.; 2/26/26, 3:05 PM
Mason G said...: "Building will be done before judges can do anything about it."

Then they'll rule that it must be torn down.; 2/26/26, 3:10 PM
Iman said...: More lawfare horsepucky…; 2/26/26, 3:10 PM
Enigma said...: If the '77 pool had a diving board and deep end, Ford would have been sued into oblivion if anyone dove onto the head of a swimmer.; 2/26/26, 3:13 PM
n.n said...: A ballroom where a gay celebration of diplomatic inclusion, consensus, and empathy (ICE) can be entertained. Forward!; 2/26/26, 3:38 PM
Peachy said...: dont worry - when and if (God forbid) the lying left regain power - they will tear it down with their rage.
and rebuild it with TAX PAYER MONEY.; 2/26/26, 3:44 PM
Smilin' Jack said...: “…Mr. Trump could redevelop the White House beyond recognition, using funds from entities seeking access or a business edge.”

And he should sell the naming rights. Think of it: The M&T Bank Wing of the MetLife White House! Could make a significant dent in the deficit—works for football stadiums!; 2/26/26, 3:59 PM
Mason G said...: "The National Trust for Historic Preservation... argued that left unchecked, Mr. Trump could redevelop the White House beyond recognition..."

"Could redevelop"? So- he's not doing that here, then? Good to know.; 2/26/26, 4:11 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Nice to know King Judge has allowed it. Funny how one branch of Government can tell the other how to do everything, even what buildings it can renovate.; 2/26/26, 4:24 PM
Rigelsen said...: Where was “The National Trust for Historic Preservation” when statues were being torn down and historic places renamed and defaced? Nowhere. And with a name like that that you’d think it has some official imprimatur. You’d be wrong. Someone should sue them for false advertising.; 2/26/26, 4:27 PM
The Godfather said...: "The National Trust for Historic Preservation... argued that left unchecked, Mr. Trump could redevelop the White House beyond recognition, using funds from entities seeking access or a business edge. The argument appeared to resonate with Judge Leon". Anyone who has authority might exercise it in a way that Judge Leon wouldn't like, but that doesn't mean Judge Leon has the authority to decide how a federal building can be renovated.; 2/26/26, 4:29 PM
Phaedrus said...: Looks like the plaintiffs were also told to proper path forward but warned it would still be challenging. Love the ballroom idea, just hope it’s not gaudy. Looking forward to the first state dinner being held in it with the new Cuban President and Governor of Venezuela, Marco Rubio; 2/26/26, 4:37 PM
traditionalguy said...: Major improvements made to Federal facilities is totally legal UNLESS Trump does it for free.; 2/26/26, 4:49 PM
Breezy said...: I hope someone’s keeping track of the cost of all these get Trump lawsuits.; 2/26/26, 4:51 PM
rehajm said...: This is the kind of talk one encounters when confronted with a high achiever for the first time…; 2/26/26, 5:03 PM
rehajm said...: …looks like your leftie lawfare lawyers missed a spot…; 2/26/26, 5:05 PM
rehajm said...: I had ‘cocksucker’ in front of ‘leftie lawfare lawyers’. I shoulda left it in…; 2/26/26, 5:06 PM
Skeptical Voter said...: Anybody here talking about Big Mike's setting out her vegetable garden over an active septic system leach field? I tell you great vegetables are fertilized with night soil and its byproducts.; 2/26/26, 5:07 PM
rehajm said...: when and if (God forbid) the lying left regain power - they will tear it down with their rage.

…then hit it with their shoe…; 2/26/26, 5:10 PM
Aggie said...: "...The National Trust for Historic Preservation... argued that left unchecked, Mr. Trump could redevelop the White House beyond recognition..."

Well.....Good to see the judge didn't shut it all down, based on some hypothetical, outrageous ballroom that Trump could theoretically erect.; 2/26/26, 5:16 PM
Aggie said...: Yes, a thousand statues of famous white men on horseback would like a word.; 2/26/26, 5:17 PM
JaimeRoberto said...: Supposing the plaintiffs had won, what would be the remedy? Would the old East Wing have to be rebuilt? The space left empty? Funded with taxpayer money instead? Impeachment? OK, the last one is probably a given.; 2/26/26, 5:46 PM
buwaya said...: My goal is to see my daughter dance in it.
This alone makes me a devoted enemy of US Democrats.; 2/26/26, 6:03 PM
gilbar said...: what IS the National Trust for Historic Preservation?
wiki says:
.."The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States.."

And by "privately funded", they mean:
Used to live off of USAID and NEH..
but now needsfrivolous lawsuits to survive
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Trust_for_Historic_Preservation; 2/26/26, 6:05 PM
Andrew said...: FDR built a indoor pool in 1933, it was filled in in to make room fgor the wh pressroom. Ford's pool was built wityh private funds.; 2/26/26, 6:15 PM
Greg The Class Traitor said...: Asked to list any other time a president had marshaled private funds to carry out a significant White House renovation without approval from Congress, Mr. Roth cited the installation of a swimming pool by President Gerald Ford and the construction of a tennis pavilion during Mr. Trump’s first term. 'The ’77 Gerald Ford swimming pool? You compare that to tearing down and building a new East Wing?' Judge Leon replied. 'C’mon, be serious.'..."

You first, "judge".

He answered your question. You didn't ask about "a renovation as big as this one", you asked about "a significant White House renovation".

Adding a pool is generally a significant renovation.; 2/26/26, 6:48 PM
n.n said...: Trump is lord of the dance.; 2/26/26, 6:48 PM
Yancey Ward said...: Mark my words- the instant a Democrat occupies the White House again, the ballroom will be demolished and replaced with a replica of the old East Wing at taxpayer expense. And it wouldn't have even mattered if Trump had gone through the process his enemies say he should have in order to build the ballroom.; 2/26/26, 6:57 PM
Aught Severn said...: Adding a pool is generally a significant renovation.

The problem is that the mansion the judge lives in already has a pool so he does not know how much it costs to put one in. He probably imagines it is about the same cost as putting in a small prefabbed shed...; 2/26/26, 7:01 PM
MikeD said...: FFS! The so-called East Wing was only built as a cover for FDR's hidey- hole. Presidents since then have continously attempted to use for large state dinners & the like but have had to add tents and the like to accommodate attendees. Of course, all the uncommitted insane people (Democrats) have actually convinced themselves Trump will, as all Fascists do, rule unto death ala Franco. So he's actually not building for future Presidents but his ongoing pleasure.; 2/26/26, 7:07 PM
FredSays said...: So the courts say the Fed can redecorate with billions of dollars of printed money but Trump can’t get a new ballroom for free. Got it.; 2/26/26, 7:21 PM
steppin' razor said...: This federal judge has stated, or certainly implied, that if the plaintiffs were to bring an amended case based upon other statutes or causes of action then he would consider their claim more favorably. Talk about bring out of his lane! How could he possibly not recuse himself from any such subsequent case, having already expressed an opinion on its merits?; 2/26/26, 7:27 PM
Peachy said...: Yancey - I sort of beat you to it. But yes - they will do just as you say.; 2/26/26, 8:07 PM
Grundoon said...: The National Trust for Historic Preservation files a 990 form. Its April 2025 form shows revenue of $100 million. It is not a small committee or something.; 2/26/26, 8:29 PM
Goldenpause said...: I’ve had a case before Judge Leon. He can be difficult but at the end of the day (after he gives everyone a world class case of heartburn) he often (but not always) rules correctly.; 2/26/26, 8:53 PM
JIM said...: I was summoned for Jury Duty in March, now I regret not refusing to do so. I am 100% disgusted by the American "justice" system. Thomas Jefferson warned us about Judicial Tyranny.; 2/27/26, 12:50 AM
Not an oldster. said...: Meh. It's a building. Property.
Worry more about dead people while you're toothlessly chanting USA USA and doing Israel's dirty work. Dead women and children>property squabbles, proffy.; 2/27/26, 1:48 AM
Enigma said...: @Yancey Ward: Mark my words- the instant a Democrat occupies the White House again, the ballroom will be demolished and replaced with a replica of the old East Wing at taxpayer expense.

Demolished and replaced yes. They won't rebuild old (useless) East Wing. The next one will be shaped to spell "Defund the Police" and tiled in rainbow gender flag stripes. Or, it'll be a shaped like a giant gallows with a golden "Baby Trump" statute in the noose.; 2/27/26, 6:21 AM
Jim said...: Finally, no more state dinners in tents. This will make the Democrats crazy, well, crazier than they already are.; 2/27/26, 7:01 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: “ The National Trust for Historic Preservation files a 990 form. Its April 2025 form shows revenue of $100 million. It is not a small committee or something.”

And the obvious question is where is that money coming from? Or where was it coming from, and where is it coming from now (assuming that, in the past, some, if not much, was coming from taxpayer money, from sources like USAID)?

If it was primarily taxpayer funded in the (pre-Trump) past, what gives them, out of 330 million Americans here, the moral right to determine what the President does with his home? And for the private money being utilized, what’s the moral difference between private money building the ballroom, and the private money being spent on a different vision of the White House?; 2/27/26, 9:22 AM
stlcdr said...: Gosh, maybe we should get King Charles to have his say-so before doing anything.; 2/27/26, 9:38 AM
Dude1394 said...: So when did congress approve the destruction of half of the statues honoring our heritage? I don’t recall that.; 2/27/26, 10:08 AM
Greg The Class Traitor said...: Yancey Ward said...
Mark my words- the instant a Democrat occupies the White House again, the ballroom will be demolished

In the unlikely case that a Dem wins in 2028, yes.

In the far more likely case that Vance wins & wins re-election in 2032? And a Dem only wins in 2036 by claiming to be sane.

In that case, it will stay. There will be too many other things the base wants more; 2/27/26, 11:17 AM