周四，一名联邦法官驳回了一项初步禁令请求，该请求原本旨在叫停白宫宴会厅的修建工程。
美国地区法官理查德・莱昂(由小布什任命)认为，国家历史保护信托基金会针对宴会厅修建提出的论点 **“新颖且分量十足”**，但表示依据该组织目前的诉讼理由，他无权叫停项目。
莱昂在裁决中暗示，历史保护人士若修改诉状，提出 **“越权行为”** 指控 —— 即特朗普的行为已超出法律授权范围 —— 将更适合作为诉讼依据。
“遗憾的是，双方最初都把焦点放在总统是否有权拆建白宫东翼的宪法权限上，原告并未提出必要的诉讼理由，来审查总统声称的、无需国会批准、使用私人资金开展这一工程的法定权限。” 莱昂表示。
国家历史保护信托基金会发表声明，对法官裁决表示失望，但同时称对莱昂鼓励该组织修改诉状、指控特朗普越权行事感到 “欣慰”，并表示将 **“立即”** 提交新诉状。
莱昂承诺会 **“快速审理”** 该基金会针对越权问题提交的修改后诉状。但他写道，在新诉状提交前，他 “别无选择，只能驳回” 该组织关于初步禁令的请求。
不久后，特朗普在社交媒体上不实宣称，联邦法官已 “彻底撤销” 了阻止修建白宫宴会厅的诉讼。
“对美国和我们美丽的白宫来说是大好消息!负责这个未来全球最美宴会厅的法官，刚刚驳回并彻底撤销了阻止施工的企图。” 特朗普在 “真实社交” 平台发文称。
总统还继续声称，该项目 **“未花纳税人一分钱”，且工程“进度超前、预算可控”**。
在上个月的听证会上，这名法官曾对这种用私人资金修建宴会厅的 “绕弯子套路” 表达强烈质疑，认为其目的就是规避国会监督。
2 月初，特朗普政府就已抢先向莱昂申请，暂缓可能发布的任何禁令，并警告称该项目 **“出于国家安全原因势在必行”**。
政府方文件还称，停工将 “在总统公园留下一片难看的无限期开挖工地”。
特朗普最初在 7 月表示，这项耗资 4 亿美元的宴会厅项目不会影响现有白宫建筑。但随后施工方开始拆除东翼，一名官员称，随着这座 9 万平方英尺巨型宴会厅的修建，“整个东翼都将进行现代化改造”。
2 月早些时候，美国美术委员会投票批准了特朗普的设计方案。
该委员会成员全部由特朗普新任命，在无视绝大多数反对意见的情况下，几乎全票通过了该方案，未再进行额外审查。
Federal judge denies request to block Trump ballroom
A federal judge on Thursday denied a request to impose a preliminary injunction that would have blocked construction of the White House ballroom.
While finding that the National Trust has raised "novel and weighty" arguments against the ballroom construction, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, a George W. Bush appointee, says he does not have the power to halt it under the arguments the group has raised.
Leon's ruling suggests an amended complaint by the historic preservationists, raising so-called ultra vires claims -- effectively, that Trump has operated outside the law -- would be a better basis for a cause of action
"Unfortunately, because both sides initially focused on the President's constitutional authority to destruct and construct the East Wing of the White House, Plaintiff didn't bring the necessary cause of action to test the statutory authority the President claims is the basis to do this construction project without the blessing of Congress and with private funds," Leon said.
A statement from the National Trust expresses disappointment over the judge's decision but adds that the group is "pleased" that Leon encouraged the organization to file an amended complaint claiming that Trump has acted beyond his legal authority. The group says it will do so "promptly."
Leon pledged to "expeditiously consider" an amended complaint from the National Trust raisingultra viresclaims. But until one is filed, he wrote he has "no choice but to deny" the group's request for a preliminary injunction.
Not long after, Trumpfalsely claimedthat a federal judge "completely erased" a lawsuit seeking to stop the construction of the White House ballroom.
"Great news for America, and our wonderful White House! The Judge on the case of what will be the most beautiful Ballroom anywhere in the World, has just thrown out, and completely erased, the effort to stop its construction," Trump wrote in the post on Truth Social.
The president then continued to claim that "not one dollar" of taxpayers' money is being used and that the project was "ahead of schedule, and under budget."
At a hearing last month, the judge aired his sharp skepticism about what he called a "Rube Goldberg contraption" of raising private money to fund the ballroom construction, adding he believed it was designed to avoid congressional oversight.
The Trump administrationpreemptivelyasked Leon in early February to stay any injunction he might issue, warning that the project is"imperative for reasons of national security."
The government's filing also says halting the construction would "leave an unsightly excavation site in President's Park indefinitely."
Trump initially said in July that the $400 million ballroom project would not interfere with the existing White House structure. Later, when crews began tearing down the East Wing, an official said the "entirety of the East Wing will be modernized" as the massive 90,000 square foot ballroom is built.
Earlier in February, the Commission of Fine Artsvoted to approveTrump's design plan.
The panel, made up entirely of new members appointed by Trump, did so near unanimously without further review over the "vast, vast majority" of public comments opposing the project.
