A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled Friday that the Trump administration must stop construction on a proposed White House ballroom without congressional approval. The court stated in a 136-page decision that “whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help.” The panel issued a 2-1 ruling and agreed to stay the order for two weeks to allow the administration to pursue a Supreme Court appeal.
President Trump responded quickly to the decision, calling it “horrendous, politically motivated and unlawful” and announcing plans to appeal immediately. He noted that the two judges who voted against him were appointed by Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. The administration has maintained that the ballroom project is essential to national security, arguing it is integrated with underground military facilities including bomb shelters, medical facilities, and protective structures.
The lawsuit was brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit chartered by Congress, in December. The organization argued that federal law requires congressional authorization for the construction and that the government failed to complete a legally mandated review process. The group’s president and CEO, Brent Leggs, characterized the ruling as protecting the public’s right to voice opinions about historic sites.
Construction on the project began in October when the administration started demolishing the East Wing. The White House initially estimated the cost at $200 million, though reporting indicated it could exceed $600 million. Senate Republicans had proposed dedicating $1 billion in taxpayer security funding for the project as part of a broader legislative package in May, but the provision was dropped following bipartisan opposition. The ballroom is described as spanning approximately 90,000 square feet with capacity for 1,000 guests.
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