Don Jr. has a dream wedding venue picked out for his spring wedding, but a federal judge may have just made it impossible

A federal judge has temporarily paused President Trump’s White House ballroom project, and it has directly affected Don Trump Jr.’s wedding plans. Don Jr. and his fiancée, Bettina Anderson, had reportedly been considering the planned ballroom as a potential wedding venue, but that idea is now stuck in legal limbo.

The couple announced their engagement at a White House event in December 2025. While many might expect the wedding to take place at Mar-a-Lago, where other Trump family members have married, sources say a White House wedding has been on their radar. According to People, a political source noted that such a high-profile event could “set them up for future political roles, whether Don Jr. goes after the presidency or something else.”

President Trump had the historic East Wing of the White House demolished in October 2025 to make way for a new ballroom. However, on March 31, a federal judge ruled that President Trump does not hold “owner” status over the building and would need congressional approval to move forward with construction. This has frozen the project, leaving the former East Wing as an active construction zone.

The White House has hosted presidential family weddings before, and other venues there remain an option

President Trump expressed frustration on Truth Social after hearing the ruling, arguing that the ballroom was being built with private donations and not taxpayer money. This is not the first time a federal judge has ruled against Trump’s executive actions, with courts increasingly stepping in to challenge decisions made by his administration.

Regardless, the project is now on hold. The ballroom was not even expected to be completed until late 2028 or early 2029, so wedding plans tied to that space were already ambitious. Despite the ballroom situation, the White House has historically hosted several presidential family weddings in other locations.

The most recent was in November 2022, when President Joe Biden’s granddaughter, Naomi Biden, married Peter Neal on the South Lawn. Before that, President Nixon’s daughter, Tricia, married Edward Finch Cox in the Rose Garden in 1971, and President Lyndon B. Johnson’s daughter, Lynda, married in the East Room in 1967. President Theodore Roosevelt’s daughter, Alice, also married there in 1906.

It is worth noting that President Trump has since paved over the Rose Garden and added tables, giving it a look closer to a Mar-a-Lago patio. Still, other areas of the White House could remain viable options for the couple. Meanwhile, wedding preparations are moving forward. 

According to The Daily Beast, Bettina is planning an “enchanted garden”-themed bridal shower at Mar-a-Lago sometime this month. There is also speculation that the wedding could take place as early as spring 2026, which would almost certainly rule out the White House ballroom given its stalled construction and original completion timeline.

President Trump is reportedly very pleased with Bettina. Sources say he is “happy with the way Bettina looks” and wants his son to be “satisfied in his next mate.” This contrasts with his reported feelings about Don Jr.’s previous fiancée, Kimberly Guilfoyle. A political source said Trump had “seemed to sour” on Kimberly after their relationship ended, believing she “became a grandstander and attempted to put too much media and MAGA attention on herself.”

Bettina Anderson is a Palm Beach socialite, the daughter of a banker and a model, and has never been married or had children. A Palm Beach source described her as “a great example for him and a great role model,” adding that “she fits in perfectly with that whole group.”

She had a notable public appearance at President Trump’s State of the Union address in February, seated behind Don Jr. alongside Tiffany’s husband Michael Boulos, Lara Trump, and Jared Kushner. Don Jr. was previously married to Vanessa Trump for 12 years before their divorce in 2018.

Vanessa is now reportedly dating professional golfer Tiger Woods. Courts have also been active on other Trump-related legal fronts, including a recent ruling where a judge allowed a Jan. 6 civil lawsuit to proceed against the former and current president. With the ballroom project on hold, Don Jr. and Bettina will either need to rethink their venue or wait to see if congressional approval can get the construction back on track.