Federal Appeals Court Blocks White House Ballroom Construction Pending Congressional Approval
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A D.C. Circuit panel ruled that the White House ballroom project cannot proceed without Congress authorizing the construction, staying the order for two weeks to allow an appeal.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued a 136-page decision ordering the Trump administration to halt work on a proposed White House ballroom until Congress provides explicit approval. The judges ruled that the decision to build a large ballroom is a legislative matter, not an executive one, and issued a two-week stay to give the administration time to seek review by the Supreme Court.
President Trump denounced the ruling as "horrendous, politically motivated and unlawful" and said the administration would appeal immediately. He also argued that the project is a national-security issue, citing a planned underground complex beneath the East Wing.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued to stop the construction, welcomed the decision. > "This is 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," said Brent Leggs, the organization’s president and CEO. The trust reiterated that only Congress has the authority to authorize such a project.
The administration had earlier described the ballroom as a 90,000-square-foot facility capable of seating 1,000 guests, with cost estimates ranging from $200 million to at least $600 million. Senate Republicans had considered but later withdrew a $1 billion security funding provision for the ballroom after bipartisan opposition.