NEWS

Federal Judge Appears Skeptical of DOJ's Argument for White House Ballroom Construction

January 23, 2026

On January 22, a Foley Hoag team argued on behalf of the National Trust for Historic Preservation in its challenge to immediately stop the ballroom construction at the White House.

In an article from NBC News, the following exchange was quoted:

“Attorney Tad Heuer, representing the nonprofit National Trust for Historic Preservation, a group that works to protect U.S. historic sites, argued that the president does not have the constitutional authority to tear down the East Wing of the White House and construct a ballroom. ‘He’s not the owner’ of the White House, Heuer said. Leon appeared to agree, saying, ‘He’s the steward.’”

Read the full article.

Read the statement from Carol Quillen, President and CEO, National Trust for Historic Preservation.