US Appeals Court Halts Trump’s $400 Million White House Ballroom Project

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A U.S. federal appeals court on Friday ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to halt above-ground construction of its controversial $400 million White House ballroom, ruling that the president does not have the constitutional authority to proceed with such a major alteration of the historic White House complex without approval from Congress. 

In a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit sided with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which challenged the project after the administration demolished the White House East Wing and began constructing a new 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom. Preservationists argued that no federal law grants the president unilateral authority to undertake such a large-scale redevelopment of one of America’s most significant historic sites. 

The appeals court emphasized that the case was not about whether the ballroom is a good or bad policy idea, but whether the executive branch has the legal authority to build it without congressional approval.

“Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help,” the court wrote. 

The judges further stated that while the administration may ultimately be able to complete the project, it must first obtain authorization from Congress, as required by the Constitution and federal law. 

The ruling temporarily suspends only the above-ground construction and remains on hold for 14 days, giving the Trump administration time to request emergency relief from the U.S. Supreme Court. 

President Trump criticized the ruling on social media, calling it an “unjust decision” and announcing that his administration would immediately appeal to the nation’s highest court. 

The ballroom project has faced criticism from historians, preservation organizations, and some lawmakers, who argue that replacing the East Wing with a massive new structure could permanently alter the historic character of the White House. The administration, however, has maintained that the project would modernize facilities and improve security and event capacity. 

The decision marks another legal setback for the administration’s ambitious White House redevelopment plans and could become an important constitutional test of the limits of presidential authority over federally owned historic property if the Supreme Court agrees to hear the case.