A federal appeals court has ruled that President Donald Trump must halt construction of a proposed $400 million White House ballroom, stating that the administration lacks the legal authority to proceed without approval from Congress. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit sided with historic preservationists, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, who sought an injunction against the project.
The contested project involves a 90,000-square-foot ballroom on the site of the demolished East Wing. While a three-judge panel upheld the block on above-ground construction in a 2-to-1 decision, below-ground work is permitted to move forward. The court emphasized that fundamentally reshaping the White House is not a matter for executive self-help, noting that Congress had previously refused a $1 billion request for the project in May.
President Trump has vowed to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, describing the decision as unjust, horrendous, politically motivated, and unlawful. He further noted on social media that much of the work has already been completed and paid for. The court has stayed its ruling for 14 days to allow the administration time to pursue the appeal.