A federal appeals court has blocked the construction of President Donald Trump's $400 million White House ballroom, ruling that congressional approval is required for such a significant alteration to the historic structure. The decision, issued by Judges Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia, stated that the president, as a "temporary tenant," does not possess the authority to unilaterally modify the White House.
The court concluded that the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which filed the lawsuit to halt the project, had demonstrated that only Congress has the power to authorize such changes. "Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help," the majority wrote.
The ruling does not definitively end the ballroom project, but it requires that any construction proceed only with explicit authorization from Congress. The court emphasized that national security concerns, while acknowledged, do not grant the executive branch a carte blanche to bypass legal requirements. "Congress has not given the Park Service authority, specifically and expressly, or otherwise, to raze protected historic sites in the name of presidential functions or national security," the majority stated.
President Trump announced his intention to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. The construction, which began with demolition of the East Wing in late October, was intended to include a 90,000-square-foot ballroom.
In a dissenting opinion, Judge Neomi Rao argued that the National Trust for Historic Preservation lacked the jurisdiction to bring the lawsuit and that the project likely fell within the president's authority to improve the Executive Residence. She expressed concern that halting construction would negatively impact the government's security interests and leave the president's home and office less secure, citing the assassination attempt against President Trump at the Washington Hilton in 2021.
The district court had previously modified an injunction to allow security-related work to continue while halting ballroom construction. The appeals court ruling gives the administration two weeks to appeal before it takes effect.