Court Blocks Trump’s $400 Million Ballroom
A US federal appeals court has upheld an order blocking above-ground construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed $400 million White House ballroom, ruling that major structural changes to the presidential residence require approval from Congress.
Trump White House Ballroom Faces Court Block
The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled 2-1 that the Trump administration cannot proceed with above-ground construction without congressional authorisation.
The planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom is being built on the site of the former White House East Wing, which was demolished as part of the redevelopment.
The court said a president is a temporary occupant of the White House and does not have unilateral authority to fundamentally reshape the historic federal property.
Court Gives Trump 14 Days to Appeal
The appeals court has placed its ruling on hold for 14 days, giving the Trump administration an opportunity to seek intervention from the US Supreme Court.
The decision upholds a preliminary injunction obtained by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which challenged the project after the East Wing was demolished and ballroom construction began without congressional approval.
Previous court orders have allowed certain underground work connected to security to continue while blocking above-ground ballroom construction.
Trump Vows Supreme Court Challenge
Trump has criticised the ruling and confirmed that his administration intends to appeal to the Supreme Court.
He has argued that the ballroom project is also connected to White House security, saying the development includes bomb shelters, medical facilities and protection against potential drone and missile attacks.
The administration has also said the ballroom is needed to accommodate large official functions. The project’s estimated cost has risen to around $400 million, roughly double earlier projections.
The appeals court stressed that its decision does not permanently prevent a ballroom from being built, but requires congressional approval before above-ground construction can proceed.
