Trump Rips Into Federal Judge Over Stalled White House Ballroom Plans: 'Responsible for Death and Destruction'

After a federal judge ruled in April that President Donald Trump lacked the authority to move forward with his lavish ballroom project without congressional approval, construction of the same hit a major legal speed bump.

However, Trump isn’t taking the setback quietly.

Turning up the drama in a fiery Truth Social post on Sunday, May 31, Trump claimed that U.S. District Judge Richard Leon would be responsible for future “Death and Destruction” if the project remains stalled.

Despite being a straightforward dispute over construction permits and legal authority, the situation has now become another headline-grabbing political spectacle.

In April, Leon, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, halted the construction of Trump's high-profile ballroom in Washington, D.C., with a decisive ruling.

On Sunday, taking to his Truth Social account, the president escalated his criticism of the judge for blocking the $400 million White House ballroom project.

Trump argued that the planned ballroom would also serve as a “DronePort,” calling it one of the most advanced facilities of its kind and saying it would help protect Washington, D.C., from modern threats.

“The DronePort at the White House Ballroom will be, perhaps, the most sophisticated anywhere in the World! It will safeguard our Nation’s Capital, Washington, D.C., long into the future,” the president wrote.

The president then accused Leon of “playing games with America’s Security” and demanded that the lawsuit against the project be dismissed immediately.

“Judge Richard Leon should stop playing games with America’s Security! If anything happens, he will be held responsible for the Death and Destruction caused to our Country. He has already created enough problems by allowing “Top Secret” information to be released,” Trump added.

The judge had temporarily blocked above-ground construction; however, Trump demanded that the lawsuit be dismissed immediately.

He concluded, “With the advent of highly sophisticated, and powerful, modern-day weaponry, we can no longer defend Washington, D.C., with rifles and pistols, alone. This ridiculous lawsuit must be dismissed, IMMEDIATELY!”

Meanwhile, alongside Trump, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is likewise pushing to remove the court order blocking the construction of the White House ballroom project.

In the wake of the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner shooting, government attorneys argued that stronger protection is needed around the presidential complex.

In a five-page court filing obtained by Reuters, the DOJ pointed to the shooting outside the White House as evidence that “top-level, state-of-the-art security at the White House, including the ballroom” is urgently needed.

Officials argued that the proposed ballroom project is vital for national security and should move forward without delay.

In addition, according to The Independent, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche argued that “recent attacks against President Trump’s life -- including two attempts in less than a month” highlight the importance of strengthening security infrastructure around him.

He then urged, “This suit, which is a complete embarrassment to our country, must be dismissed.”

The DOJ has repeatedly asked Leon to dissolve the injunction that temporarily halted construction.

However, the federal judge has not yet responded to the latest request.