WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� A federal judge said Tuesday he’s leaning toward denying a to temporarily halt President ‘s White House ballroom project, saying the organization failed to show that 鈥渋rreparable harm鈥� would be caused if the project moves forward.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said he could issue a final decision on the restraining order by Wednesday. But Leon said he plans to hold another hearing in January on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s request to pause the until it goes through multiple independent reviews and wins approval from Congress.
In the meantime, Leon warned the administration to not make decisions on underground work, such as the routing of plumbing and gas lines, that would dictate the scope of future ballroom construction above ground. If that were to happen, Leon said, 鈥渢he court will address it, I assure you of that.鈥�
Trump, speaking Tuesday night at a Hannukah event, thanked the judge for the 鈥渃ourage in making the proper decision.鈥� He also described the ballroom as costing $400 million, though its previously listed price tag was $300 million.
Carol Quillen, president and CEO of the National Trust, said it remained 鈥渇ully committed to upholding the interests of the American people and advocating for compliance with the law, including review by the National Capital Planning Commission and an opportunity for the public to provide comment and shape the project.”
Trump before seeking input from a pair of federal review panels, the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts. Trump has stocked the planning commission with allies, including the chairman, , who recently said he expected .
Leon made a couple of references during the hearing to the administration having just two weeks to submit the plans. Adam Gustafson, the principal deputy assistant attorney general, said the administration had 鈥渋nitiated outreach鈥� to the panel to do just that, but no date had been set.
Trump recently dismissed all members of the fine arts panel. He has yet to name replacements.
Gustafson argued at the hearing that the Trust has no standing in the case to sue and that underground construction must continue for national security reasons that were not outlined in open court. He also said Trump is exempt from federal laws the Trust said he has failed to follow.
Gustafson said the Trust cannot show 鈥渋rreparable harm鈥� because the ballroom plans have not been finalized and construction above ground was not scheduled to begin until April at the earliest.
Tad Heuer, the attorney representing the Trust 鈥� a private, nonprofit organization 鈥� said that with every day that construction is allowed to proceed absent the independent reviews, the government gets to say 鈥渨ait and find out鈥� what the ballroom will look like.
“It’s not about the need for a ballroom. It’s about the need to follow the law,鈥� Heuer said of the case.
The White House announced the ballroom project over the summer and by late October, Trump had to build in its place a ballroom that he said will be big enough to fit 999 people at an estimated cost of .
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