A federal judge has blocked construction of a modernized East Wing of the White House, ordered it to proceed without Congressional approval. Senior Judge Richard J. Leon, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, enjoined the Trump administration officials from taking any action in relation to the physical development of the proposed 89,000-square-foot ballroom. The National Trust for Historic Preservation had filed a lawsuit against the project, arguing that it was intended to begin construction without federal approval of the design by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA). Leon's ruling would take effect 14 days from its issuance, and the administration must provide proof of compliance within 21 days. The Department of Justice intends to appeal the ruling.