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US judge to weigh new bid to halt Trump's $400 million ballroom project

Preservationists argue Trump-appointed panel members lack required planning expertise, risking invalidation of the $400 million ballroom project amid a federal court challenge.

  • Plans for a $400 million ballroom face legal challenges in federal courts, potentially delaying construction, as the proposal faces a court review over the East Wing replacement.
  • Trump installed loyalists on federal review panels, including three picks lacking required city or regional planning experience on the National Capital Planning Commission and stacking the Commission of Fine Arts.
  • The North Portico features eight double-height columns while the South Portico has six, and the current Ionic columns are original to the landmark.
  • The Justice Department argued presidents have broad appointment authority, while opponents warn that unqualified picks could invalidate or delay the ballroom vote.
  • The White House denied there were any current plans to replace the columns, and Rodney Mims Cook Jr., chair of the Commission of Fine Arts, said he had not discussed the idea with the president.
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  • 66% of the sources are Center
66% Center

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ELLE Decor broke the news in on Monday, March 16, 2026.
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