Judge halts White House ballroom

While the judge allowed work on a new underground bunker to proceed for national security reasons, the above-ground ballroom has been blocked pending further environmental and historical reviews.

Critics have described the project as a 'vanity project' that would permanently alter the character of the historic executive mansion.

The administration argues the facility is necessary for large-scale diplomatic events and that the current spaces are inadequate.

This ruling comes amid a broader debate over government spending as the national debt continues to climb during the Iran war.