Overview
- U.S. District Judge Richard Leon declined to issue a temporary restraining order, warned against irreversible below‑ground decisions, and set a further hearing for January 2026.
- The National Trust for Historic Preservation alleges violations of the Administrative Procedure Act and the National Environmental Policy Act and argues the project bypassed the National Capital Planning Commission, the Commission of Fine Arts, and Congress.
- Justice Department lawyers say the president has statutory authority to alter the Executive Mansion and that the Trust lacks standing, while offering classified material to the judge to support national security claims.
- A Secret Service declaration asserts that any pause would hamper its protective mission near the Presidential Emergency Operations Center beneath the former East Wing.
- Project details in filings show the East Wing was demolished in October, below‑grade work continues with foundations slated for January, above‑ground construction is not expected until April 2026, completion is forecast for summer 2028, and Trump now cites a roughly $400 million privately funded price tag with donors that include major tech and crypto firms.