Federal judge temporarily halts Trump's White House ballroom construction project pending Congressional authorization

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon granted a preliminary injunction on Tuesday blocking construction of President Trump's $400 million ballroom project at the White House, ruling that Trump lacks statutory authority to proceed without Congressional approval. The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed the lawsuit after Trump demolished the East Wing in October to make way for the 90,000-square-foot ballroom. Despite the injunction, the National Capital Planning Commission voted to approve the project design on Thursday.