Fact Check: Was Trump's White House ballroom project allegedly scrapped?

Donald Trump began demolition of White House's East Wing last year to replace it with a 90,000-square-foot ballroom

BY CONRAD DIAS

PUBLISHED FEB 14, 2026

An excavator works to clear rubble after the East Wing of the White House was demolished on October 23, 2025, in Washington, DC (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: In October 2025, President Donald Trump began the demolition of the White House's East Wing to replace it with a 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The nonprofit National Trust for Historic Preservation sued the administration last December, arguing the project began without necessary approvals or congressional authority.

Now, in February 2026, a rumor circulated online claiming that a federal judge had halted Trump's White House ballroom construction project. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.

Claim: Trump's White House ballroom project was allegedly scrapped

In mid-February 2026, a Facebook post read, "Trump's infamous new White House ballroom and bunker has been scrapped by a federal judge and the National Trust Preservation Committee. It was also discovered that the $400 million in ballroom donor money has either disappeared or simply never existed."

"The image of the White House (below) shows the former site of the East Wing, built in 1902 and renovated in 1942, completely demolished with several bulldozers and skip loaders clearing the last of the rubble," the post added.

It further mentioned, "GSA has to now hire a construction company to fill the east wing (Trump improperly had demolished) with dirt and sod. The Judge and committee have also ruled Trump 'cannot as much as paint a wall in the white house without a permit and committee approval'."

Fact Check: False, the judge is yet to issue a decision

The claims in the online post are false, as District Judge Richard Leon, the judge overseeing the case, has yet to issue a decision on the status of the ballroom construction project.

A spokesperson informed Snopes that the ballroom was not yet being constructed and the project was still in the 'demolition stage'.

Meanwhile, the National Trust argued that the project proceeded without receiving authorization from Congress and with inadequate environmental assessments.

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 20: Workers demolish the facade of the East Wing of the White House on October 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. The demolition is part of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to build a ballroom reportedly costing $250 million on the eastern side of the White House. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

However, on December 17, 2025, Leon denied the National Trust's motion for a temporary restraining order on the project and temporarily allowed work to continue.

Furthermore, the judge's order mentioned that because the ballroom plans had not been finalized, there was no 'imminent risk of irreparable aesthetic harm'.

As per arguments filed by the Trump administration in January 2026, former Presidents did not require congressional approval to carry out construction or renovations on White House grounds.

An excavator works to clear rubble after the East Wing of the White House was demolished on October 23, 2025 in Washington, DC. The demolition is part of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to build a multimillion-dollar ballroom on the eastern side of the White House. — An excavator works to clear rubble after the East Wing of the White House was demolished on October 23, 2025, in Washington, DC (Getty Images)

Moreover, the government added that the above-ground construction would not begin until April 2026.

In late January 2026, Leon expressed skepticism that the Trump administration had the legal authority to demolish the East Wing and proceed with construction. He said he would make a decision in the coming weeks on whether or not to allow a preliminary injunction.