US
Preservationists Lose Bid to Stop Trump White House Ballroom
Cranes are seen on the grounds of the White House as construction work continues for President Donald Trump's new ballroom in Washington on February 25.
Photographer: Oliver Contreras/AFP/Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump may continue constructing a 90,000-square-foot ballroom at the White House, a Washington federal judge held in a ruling that dealt an initial blow to historic preservationists who tried to halt the project.
Senior Judge Richard Leon of the US District Court for the District of Columbia found on Thursday that he doesn’t have authority to consider a challenge to the president’s decision to tear down the East Wing and construct a ballroom on White House grounds.