Judge to rule on legality of Trump's $400M White House ballroom project

The administration's plan to rely on private donations raises transparency concerns.

Feb. 9, 2026 at 1:07pm

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A federal judge is expected to soon rule on whether President Donald Trump's planned $400 million White House ballroom project can proceed, with the focus on whether the administration's plan to rely on private donations allows it to bypass congressional approval. The dispute has highlighted a lack of transparency over how the project is being financed, with watchdog groups and lawmakers questioning the arrangement that relies on donations from corporations with business before the federal government.

Why it matters

The White House ballroom project is the most significant alteration to the White House in decades, and the administration's plan to fund it through private donations has raised concerns about transparency and potential conflicts of interest. The case could set a precedent for how the president can finance major renovations to the White House without congressional approval.

The details

The Trump administration has argued that the White House has the legal authority to accept gifts through the Department of the Interior, and that Congress has authorized the president to make changes to the White House grounds by setting aside a small annual fund for renovations. However, lawyers for the National Trust for Historic Preservation have countered that those provisions do not authorize a project of this scale and that the ballroom required express approval and funding from Congress. The administration's funding initiative has been described as a 'Rube Goldberg machine' by the judge overseeing the case.

  • The federal judge is expected to rule on the case this month.
  • In October 2025, President Trump hosted donors for a celebratory dinner in the East Room of the White House.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president who initiated the $400 million White House ballroom project.

Richard Leon

The U.S. District Judge overseeing the case and who has described the administration's funding approach as a 'Rube Goldberg machine'.

National Trust for Historic Preservation

The organization that has challenged the legality of the White House ballroom project in court.

Trust for the National Mall

The nonprofit organization that is managing donations for the White House ballroom project and stands to collect between 2 and 2.5 percent of each donation as a management fee.

Elizabeth Warren

The U.S. Senator who has pressed the Trust for the National Mall to provide more details about the donations it has received for the White House ballroom project.

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What they’re saying

“These new details raise even greater concerns about whether Donald Trump's gold-encrusted ballroom has become a vehicle for corruption. Americans deserve to know which billionaire corporations are shoveling money to Trump's vanity projects and what favors they may be seeking in return.”

— Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator

“Rather than admit that none exists, the Defendants invent a Rube Goldberg machine' to justify proceeding”

— Lawyers for the National Trust for Historic Preservation

“This is not a circumvention of the appropriations process — it is a funding mechanism that Congress knowingly authorized and has long been aware is available to support projects on White House grounds”

— Justice Department lawyers

What’s next

The judge in the case is expected to rule on whether to allow the White House ballroom project to proceed this month. The decision is likely to be appealed to higher courts.

The takeaway

The White House ballroom project has raised significant concerns about transparency and potential conflicts of interest, with questions about whether the administration's plan to fund it through private donations is a legal end-run around congressional oversight. The case could set an important precedent for how the president can finance major renovations to the White House in the future.