(FILES) A view of construction of US President Donald Trump's planned ballroom on the east side of the White House complex on January 5, 2026, in Washington, DC. A US judge on March 31, 2026, ordered a halt to construction of President Donald Trump's massive White House ballroom, which has already seen the historic East Wing completely torn down. Trump is "steward" of the White House but "he is not, however, the owner!" wrote Judge Richard Leon, saying that congressional approval would be needed for the project. Leon was ruling in response to a legal challenge from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States, a nonprofit organization which seeks to protect historic buildings. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images)