A federal judge appears ready to halt construction of Donald Trump’s massive new “golden ballroom” at the White House, and the story is far bigger than a building dispute. During a high-stakes hearing before Judge Royce Lamberth, serious concerns emerged about secret funding, lack of congressional approval, and the construction of a new underground bunker beneath the East Wing.
The judge sharply questioned why Trump bypassed Congress and moved money from the National Park Service into a little-known White House “Executive Residence” account—effectively a slush fund now under Trump’s direct control. That account is also being used to manage construction, even though the Executive Residence staff has no experience acting as a general contractor for a project of this scale.
The plan includes demolishing the East Wing and replacing it with a 90,000-square-foot ballroom—larger than the White House itself—while secretly rebuilding a hardened command bunker below. Judge Lamberth rejected comparisons to past minor renovations, calling them “ridiculous,” and reminded the court that Trump is not the owner of the White House, but a temporary steward of the people’s house.
The judge is now expected to issue a preliminary injunction stopping above-ground construction until Congress approves the project. Appeals are likely, but the message from the court was clear: this cannot proceed in the shadows.
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