by Kofi Oppong Kyekyeku, Face2FaceAfrica.com
AU.S. court has stepped in to pause a controversial renovation at the White House, halting plans for a new ballroom ordered by Donald Trump after part of the historic complex was torn down.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon issued a preliminary injunction blocking the administration from continuing construction on the $400 million project, which followed the demolition of the East Wing.
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which is pushing for the project to be frozen until it clears a series of independent reviews and receives congressional approval.
Leon, a nominee of former President George W. Bush, made clear he believes the challenge has strong legal footing.
“I have concluded that the National Trust is likely to succeed on the merits because no statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have.”
He went further, drawing a line between stewardship and ownership of the executive residence.
“The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!”
The ballroom proposal was first unveiled over the summer, with plans for a 90,000-square-foot venue designed to seat 999 guests. By late October, the East Wing had already been brought down to clear space for the structure.
According to the White House, the project would be financed through private contributions, including funds from Trump himself.
However, construction moved ahead before formal consultation with two key federal oversight bodies, the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts, both of which traditionally review major changes to federal buildings in Washington.