A federal appeals court has allowed President Donald Trump to continue building a $400 million ballroom at the White House. The three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued the decision Friday night, putting a temporary hold on a lower court order that had blocked above-ground construction. A hearing to review the case has been scheduled for June 5.
The order from U.S. District Judge Richard Leon had halted above-ground progress on the 90,000-square-foot addition while allowing below-ground work to continue on a bunker and other national security facilities. The judge had previously ruled in March in favor of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, though that decision was briefly put on hold.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued to block the construction after Trump tore down the East Wing last fall. The nonprofit group argued that the president overstepped his authority by moving forward with the project without obtaining necessary approval from Congress and key federal agencies.
President Trump has stated that the ballroom is a long-overdue addition to the White House complex. He maintains that he has the right to proceed because the project will be funded by donations from wealthy individuals and corporations, although taxpayer dollars will be used to cover the security aspects.