WASHINGTON — A U.S. federal appeals court on Friday ordered the Trump administration to halt above-ground construction of its proposed $400 million White House ballroom, ruling that President Donald Trump cannot proceed with the project without congressional approval.
In a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a preliminary injunction sought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which challenged the administration's authority to replace the White House's East Wing with a 90,000-square-foot ballroom without authorization from Congress.
The court said Congress retains the authority to regulate major structural changes to the White House complex and rejected the administration's argument that the president could undertake the project unilaterally. The judges said their ruling addressed legal authority rather than the merits of the proposed ballroom itself.
The panel stayed its ruling for 14 days to allow the administration to seek emergency relief from the U.S. Supreme Court. According to court documents, underground work tied to security-related facilities may continue while the stay remains in effect.
Trump said he would appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, describing the ruling as politically motivated and arguing that the project includes security improvements for the White House. Preservation advocates welcomed the decision, saying significant alterations to the executive mansion require congressional oversight.
The dispute stems from a lawsuit filed after the administration demolished the East Wing and began work on the ballroom project, which the White House has said would be financed primarily through private donations. The latest ruling leaves the injunction against above-ground construction in place pending any action by the Supreme Court or further proceedings in the lower courts.
