A US federal appeals court has halted construction of President Donald Trump’s planned $400 million White House ballroom project, handing the administration a major setback in a legal battle over presidential authority and changes to the historic presidential complex.
The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Friday upheld a preliminary injunction secured by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The injunction challenged the project after the administration demolished the White House’s East Wing and began work on the proposed ballroom without seeking approval from Congress.
The 2-1 ruling blocks above-ground construction of the 90,000-square-foot (8,360-square-metre) ballroom for now. However, the court paused the order for 14 days, giving the Trump administration time to seek intervention from the US Supreme Court.
Why did the court block Trump’s ballroom project?
The legal dispute centers on whether the president has the authority to undertake a major construction project on White House grounds without congressional approval.
US District Judge Richard Leon, who was appointed by former President George W Bush, had previously stopped above-ground construction twice while allowing underground work to continue. He ruled that no federal law “comes close to giving the President” the authority needed to build the ballroom without approval from lawmakers.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed the lawsuit after the East Wing was demolished and construction began on the new facility.
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During arguments before the appeals court, Justice Department lawyer Yaakov Roth defended the project, arguing that courts should not interfere with a privately funded construction effort.
Roth said the preservation group’s “architectural preference” should not override national security concerns, claiming the former East Wing created vulnerabilities for the president and White House officials.
Representing the preservation group, lawyer Thaddeus Heuer rejected that argument, saying: “They just don’t want to go to Congress.”
Trump’s defense of the ballroom plan
The proposed ballroom is part of Trump’s efforts to redesign prominent government spaces in Washington. The administration has said the facility is needed for large formal events and to improve security at the White House.
Trump has defended the rising cost of the project, which has reportedly doubled from earlier estimates. In a Truth Social post last month, he said the increase was because the ballroom was “approximately twice the size, and a far higher quality, than the original proposal.”
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Trump added that the completed project “will be magnificent, safe, and secure!”
The ballroom case comes amid other legal challenges involving Trump’s efforts to modify major landmarks. A judge recently ordered the removal of Trump’s name from the exterior of the Kennedy Center performing arts complex after ruling that the addition was unlawful.
