Judge Halts Trump's White House Ballroom, Security Upgrades Proceed

0:00A federal judge just shut down above-ground work on President Trump's planned $400 million White House ballroom, sticking to only, underground bunkers and security setups. Earlier this week, the appeals court nudged Judge Richard Leon to double-check national security angles after his first ruling halted the project. Without congressional, okay. Leon, appointed by George W. Bush, clarified that security threats like drones or missiles justify below-ground digs, but not the full ballroom build. Trump fired back on social media, slamming the judge as Trump hating and accusing him of sabotaging a great American gift. Meanwhile, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, who sued over the East Wing demolition, cheered the decision as a win for history. Government lawyers pushed hard, claiming the whole project ties into safety, but Leon shot that down, saying national security ain't a free pass for. He paused his order for a week, giving the administration time to appeal again to the

1:01DC Circuit. This legal tug of war keeps the ballroom on ice above-ground, while security upgrades roll underground, expect more court drama as Trump pushes forward, with private funds and public security needs. Local news, powered by AI. This is California News Today. I'm Corey, with the story.