Judge skeptical over Trump ballroom project amid new bid to halt it

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon questioned the Justice Department's legal justification Tuesday for President Trump's $400 million White House ballroom construction project, expressing fresh skepticism as preservationists sought to block the work. The judge pressed DOJ attorneys on the varying authorities they cited to allow the project to proceed without congressional approval, suggesting inconsistency in the government's legal argument. Preservationists have challenged whether Trump has the authority to undertake a major construction project at the White House without legislative authorization. The ruling could determine whether the ballroom construction continues or whether Congress must approve the initiative before work advances.