U.S. District Judge Richard Leon on Tuesday temporarily blocked President Trump's plans to build a massive ballroom where the White House East Wing currently stands. Leon granted the National Trust for Historic Preservation's request for a preliminary injunction, halting the administration's fast-tracked construction timeline.
The judge ruled that Trump is the "steward," not the "owner" of the White House, and that the project "must stop until Congress authorizes its completion." The National Trust had argued that the president is a "temporary tenant" who cannot demolish portions of the historic building without proper review and congressional approval.