President Donald Trump has vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court after a federal appeals court panel ruled 2-1 against his administration's construction of a new White House ballroom. The ruling orders a halt to the $400 million remodeling project on the East Wing, which was largely torn down last year.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued the decision Friday, stating that the President requires congressional authorization for such a significant alteration to the White House. Judges Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia, appointed by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden respectively, formed the majority. Dissenting Judge Neomi Rao was appointed by Trump.
Trump took to social media platform Truth Social to express his anger, labeling the ruling a "National Disgrace" and a "National Security Threat." He specifically criticized the judges' characterization of presidents as "temporary tenant[s] of the White House," asserting that elected presidents have inherent rights to renovate and secure the executive mansion without external permission.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit last year against the National Park Service, arguing that the administration did not obtain necessary approval from Congress before initiating the extensive East Wing remodel, which is reportedly expected to span approximately 90,000 square feet.
The court's majority opinion emphasized that "Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help." They added, "Congress has not ceded unfettered authority to the Executive Branch to dramatically redesign, reshape, and reconstruct the White House - the People’s House - to fit a particular President’s desires."
This latest ruling is on hold for 14 days, providing the Trump administration time to file an appeal to the Supreme Court. Trump has stated his intention to do so immediately.
This ballroom project is one of several significant renovations undertaken by the Trump administration at the White House. Previous alterations include remodeling the West Wing Colonnade, adding a Presidential Walk of Fame, and redesigning the South Lawn to include a new helicopter landing pad. The administration has also ordered refurbishments to the White House's front entrance.
Previous legal challenges had resulted in temporary pauses to the construction. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, had previously ordered a halt to above-ground construction, while allowing subterranean work to continue. Leon had also previously ruled that no law grants the President the power to build the ballroom without congressional approval.