U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon again blocked the majority of construction on President Donald Trump's planned White House ballroom in a 10-page opinion issued Thursday.
Leon rejected Trump's argument that a national security exception does not permit the entire project to proceed.
The Judge clarified his amended order to stop only above-ground ballroom construction while permitting below-ground work for national security facilities and presidential security. He also rejected the administration's claim that the entire project fell within safety-and-security exceptions, describing it as "neither a reasonable nor a correct reading" of his original order.
Leon noted the defendants themselves had distinguished between below-ground and above-ground construction, with below-surface work driven by national security concerns independent of above-grade construction. Above-ground construction strictly necessary to cover and protect national security facilities would be allowed.
Congressional authorization is required for any other above-ground work to proceed.
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