‘Please!’ A judge’s sassy ruling halts Trump’s White House ballroom plans

With a portion of the White House demolished and site preparation underway, President Donald Trump’s planned ballroom extension on the White House grounds has been ordered to halt construction. Ruling on a lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Leon granted a request for a preliminary injunction against the White House ballroom, finding that Trump exceeded his authority in pursuing the project without congressional approval. Leon gave the White House—along with lead defendants the National Park Service and six other parties—14 days to appeal. The Trump administration has already appealed the ruling, and the case is almost certainly headed to the Supreme Court. The ruling is significant, affecting one of the most controversial and high-profile construction projects in the nation. The ruling is also notable for its expressive and sometimes sassy prose. Construction work continues on President Trump’s White House Bal