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Ballroom Halted by Appeals Court
A U.S. federal appeals court ordered Donald Trump’s administration to stop construction of a $400 million ballroom on the site of the White House’s demolished East Wing, ruling that a president cannot fundamentally reshape the White House without congressional approval.
“ordered Donald Trump's administration on Friday to stop construction on a $400 million ballroom”
The Washington-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said the project involves a 90,000-square-foot (8,360-square-meter) ballroom and upheld a preliminary injunction won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The court’s 2-1 decision placed its ruling on hold for 14 days to allow the Trump administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, while also upholding a preliminary injunction that blocked above-ground work.
In the majority’s framing, “Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help,” and the panel said the Constitution and laws require congressional authorization.
Trump responded that he would appeal what he called an “unjust decision” to the U.S. Supreme Court, setting up a showdown over his presidential authority over the White House complex.
Dissent, Security Claims, and Reactions
Trump said the administration would appeal to the Supreme Court and described the ruling as “horrendous” and politically motivated, arguing it left him, other White House officials and visitors exposed to attack.
In a dissent, Circuit Judge Neomi Rao said the trial judge’s injunction blocking the project “is beyond the proper province of the federal courts” and argued that construction should be allowed to continue.
The appeals court majority rejected the idea that national security arguments automatically override the law, writing that “National security arguments ‘are not an automatic get-out-of-law-free card,’” while halting above-ground work during the lawsuit.
National Trust President Brent Leggs said the ruling marked “a great day for our country and for the American people's right to voice their opinions about the historic places they cherish, including the White House.”
During D.C. Circuit arguments on June 5, Justice Department attorney Yaakov Roth said the courts have no role in weighing the privately funded project and argued the National Trust’s “architectural preference” should not take precedence over national security concerns.
What Happens Next at the White House
The appeals court’s order did not permanently bar construction, but it halted above-ground work during the lawsuit and until the White House secures approval from Congress.
“below-ground construction of national security facilities, work necessary to provide for presidential security”
The decision upheld a modified preliminary injunction that had allowed underground work to continue, and it left room for “below-ground construction of national security facilities” and other security-related work while the above-ground ballroom was blocked.
Trump had argued the ballroom project was needed for “the National Security of Washington, D.C.” and said it included bomb shelters, medical facilities, shielding from drones and missiles, and other security features.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation said the ruling meant the White House “belongs to the American people,” and it said it would defend the landmark “on behalf of all Americans.”
With the appeals court staying implementation for 14 days, the next step in the sources is an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, after which the legal posture would determine whether the administration can proceed with the ballroom’s above-ground construction.
