Pam Bondi celebrated a Justice Department victory after a federal judge denied a request to pause construction of a contested 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom, though he left open the possibility of a longer injunction next year. Judge Richard Leon also ordered the administration to submit plans to the National Capital Planning Commission by the end of the month. The decision provides a temporary reprieve amid criticism of Bondi’s handling of Epstein-related materials and recent personnel controversies involving Alina Habba and Lindsey Halligan.
Pam Bondi Scores Court Win Over Trump’s $400M White House Ballroom — But Legal Fight May Continue
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Pam Bondi celebrated a courtroom victory on behalf of the Justice Department after a federal judge refused to pause construction of a contested 90,000-square-foot ballroom in the East Wing of the White House. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon denied the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s request for an immediate halt, but said he will consider arguments next year about whether a longer preliminary injunction is warranted.
Bondi hailed the decision in a post on X, calling the project "totally lawful" and accusing critics of pursuing "bad-faith left-wing legal attacks." She pledged that the Justice Department would continue to defend the administration’s East Wing Modernization and State Ballroom Project in court.
"Today @TheJusticeDept attorneys defeated an attempt to stop President Trump’s totally lawful East Wing Modernization and State Ballroom Project," Bondi wrote. "President Trump has faced countless bad-faith left-wing legal attacks — this was no different. We will continue defending the President’s project in court in the coming weeks."
Judge Leon also emphasized that the administration must follow its commitment to submit the ballroom plans to the National Capital Planning Commission by the end of the month, adding, "The court will hold them to that."
President’s Remarks
At a White House Hanukkah reception, President Trump promoted the roughly $400 million project, saying it "will be the most beautiful ballroom" and touting its heavy security features, including "five-inch-thick glass windows."
President Donald Trump speaks holding a photos of the new ballroom during a White House meeting in October. / The Washington Post / Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Broader Context: Setbacks and Criticism
The ruling offers a temporary reprieve for Bondi amid a series of recent controversies. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles publicly criticized Bondi’s handling of documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein matter in an interview with Vanity Fair, saying Bondi mishandled materials and failed to address concerns from the impacted parties.
Separately, former Trump lawyer turned federal prosecutor Alina Habba was recently forced to step down as acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey after an appellate court upheld her disqualification. Bondi later named Habba a senior adviser. In another high-profile development, a federal judge dismissed indictments tied to alleged score-settling against James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James after finding that U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan had been improperly appointed; Bondi publicly criticized the judges involved and defended her prosecutors.
What’s Next
Although construction may continue for now, the dispute is not fully resolved. The court’s willingness to revisit a longer injunction next year, combined with the requirement to submit plans to the National Capital Planning Commission, means the project faces additional legal and administrative scrutiny in the coming months.
Bottom line: Bondi won an immediate legal skirmish over the East Wing ballroom, but the broader legal and political battles surrounding the project and several DOJ personnel controversies remain active.
