Historic Preservation and Federal Property

The Trump administration asked the D.C. Circuit to stay U.S. District Judge Richard Leon’s preliminary injunction halting work on the donor‑funded, roughly $300–$400 million, 90,000‑square‑foot East Wing ballroom—arguing in an emergency motion that pausing construction would create “grave national‑security harms” because classified underground military and protective features (missile‑resistant columns, drone‑proof roofing, bomb shelters, medical facilities and other secure installations) must be completed. Leon held that no statute gives the president authority to proceed without Congress and ordered construction to stop unless Congress expressly authorizes it (staying enforcement 14 days for appeal and allowing only narrowly necessary safety work), even as the National Capital Planning Commission moved forward with design approval and critics pressed concerns about demolition, donor transparency and precedent.