This browser does not support the Video element.
White House ballroom project renderings released | FOX 5 AT 6AM
New renderings offer a closer look at the White House ballroom project still under consideration.
WASHINGTON - A federal judge on Thursday rejected a preservationist group’s attempt to stop the Trump administration from moving forward with a $400 million ballroom project on the site of the demolished East Wing of the White House.
READ MORE: White House ballroom proposal approved by panel of Trump appointees
What we know:
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled that the National Trust for Historic Preservation is unlikely to prevail on its request for a temporary halt to President Donald Trump’s construction plan. He said the group may have a stronger case if it amends its lawsuit.
"Unfortunately, because both sides initially focused on the President's constitutional authority to destruct and construct the East Wing of the White House, Plaintiff didn't bring the necessary cause of action to test the statutory authority the President claims is the basis to do this construction project without the blessing of Congress and with private funds," Leon wrote.
READ MORE: New details on Trump's plan for White House ballroom released
The National Trust sued to pause the project until it undergoes independent design reviews and receives congressional approval.
The White House unveiled the ballroom plan over the summer, and by late October Trump had razed the East Wing to make room for a venue he said would hold 999 people. Officials say the 90,000‑square‑foot ballroom will be funded entirely by private donations, including from Trump.
Trump moved ahead before seeking input from the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts, two federal review panels he has filled with allies.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Associated Press.